Vegan lasagna
115 min · 28 g protein · 404 cals / serving
A tall, generous lasagna layered with a slow-cooked mushroom and lentil ragù, a lemony tofu ricotta full of spinach and basil, and tender pasta sheets, baked until the edges bubble and the top turns golden. It slices into proper squares and tastes like the Sunday dish it is, with nothing dairy in it.
Ingredients
Ragù
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 small carrots, finely diced
- 14 oz crimini mushroom, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup lentils, brown or green, rinsed
- 3 cans (14 oz each) canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3/4 tsp salt
Tofu ricotta
- 2 blocks (14 oz each) prepared extra firm tofu, drained
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 10 oz baby spinach, wilted, squeezed dry and chopped
- a large handful fresh basil, chopped
To assemble
- 12 sheets (about 9 oz) pasta, no-boil lasagna sheets
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp olive oil
Steps
- Make the ragù: heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 6–8 minutes, until soft. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, until their liquid has cooked off and they brown. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste for a minute, then add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, soy sauce, oregano, basil, pepper flakes and salt. Simmer, partly covered, for 30–35 minutes, stirring often, until the lentils are tender. It should still be a little looser than a pasta sauce, since the pasta sheets drink some of it in the oven.
- While the ragù simmers, make the tofu ricotta: crumble the tofu into a food processor with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, soy milk, garlic, salt and pepper and pulse to a thick, slightly grainy paste, like ricotta. Stir in the chopped spinach and basil by hand. Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Assemble in a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) baking dish: a thin layer of ragù, then pasta sheets (break them to fit), a third of the tofu ricotta, a quarter of the ragù. Repeat twice, then finish with a last layer of pasta and the rest of the ragù, making sure every sheet is covered.
- Sprinkle the nutritional yeast over the top and drizzle with the oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more, until bubbling at the edges and the pasta is tender when you push a knife through the middle. Rest 15 minutes before cutting, so the squares hold together.
Good to know
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble it up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time. Leftover squares reheat well and freeze for up to three months.
Can I add a vegan cheese on top?
Yes, a cup (about 100 g) of shredded vegan mozzarella on top for the last 15 minutes gives a melted, stretchy finish. It adds richness and calories, and the tofu ricotta is already creamy, so it is a matter of taste.
Regular lasagna sheets instead of no-boil?
Boil them for 2 minutes less than the package says, then layer as above. The dish will need about 10 minutes less in the oven.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 98
- Protein
- (28%)
- 7 g
- Fat
- (22%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (51%)
- 14 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 304 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 3228 kcal goes into the pot and 4107 g of ingredients comes out as about 3300 g of food: 98 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.