Vegan Vegetable Lasagna

View of the lasagna layers with creamy ricotta and sautéed eggplant and mushrooms.

5 from 1 vote

This Vegan Vegetable Lasagna features tender pasta, creamy spinach ricotta, savory eggplant and mushrooms, and lots of sauce. It's easy to assemble and customizable with the veggies you have on hand. The most delicious dinner for family night or holidays!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Resting time20

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: slices

Calories: 324kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

Equipment

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
1 globe eggplant peeled (optional) and diced small
10 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 ½ cups vegan ricotta spread
⅓ cup unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk plus a few extra tablespoons as needed
2-3 ounces fresh spinach chopped
4-5 cups jarred marinara sauce or your favorite pasta sauce
1 box (12 oz) oven ready lasagna noodles at least 12 noodles
1 cup shredded vegan mozzarella
fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the diced eggplant and sliced mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they have released all of their moisture and have cooked down. Continue to cook until the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the vegetables are starting to brown on the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, if using, and salt and pepper. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
While the vegetables are sautéing, combine the ricotta and ⅓ cup milk in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. The mixture should be really creamy and easy to stir. If it seems a little dry, add a few tablespoons of extra milk until creamy. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach. Set aside.
Pour 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread out evenly.
Place 4 lasagna noodles in one even layer over the sauce. It's ok if they overlap slightly. If you have gaps on the sides or ends, you can break a noodle and fill in. However, make sure you have at least 8 full noodles left for the remaining two layers.
Spread half of the spinach ricotta mixture over the noodles as evenly as possible. Spoon half of the eggplant mushroom mixture over the ricotta and spread out as best as you can.
Repeat the layers again. About 1 ½ cups of sauce, 4 noodles (or more to fill in gaps), the remaining spinach ricotta mixture and then the remaining eggplant mushroom mixture.
Place the final 4 noodles (again filling in gaps if necessary if you have noodles left). Cover with 1 ½ cups of sauce. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and easily pierced with a knife and the cheese is melty.
Place the lasagna under the broiler for a minute or two if you want to brown the cheese. This is optional.
Let the lasagna rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Notes

~ Use oven-ready lasagna noodles for convenience. These do not have to be boiled first.

~ Use store-bought jarred marinara sauce for convenience. Our favorite is Rao's.

~ Have extra sauce ready for serving in case someone wants to add more.

~ Place the casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet while in the oven. This will catch any drips that may bubble up over the sides while baking.

~ Place the lasagna under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching it closely, if you want to brown the cheese.

~ Feel free to halve this recipe and use an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish instead.

~ To make this gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles. If you can't find oven-ready gluten-free noodles, cook them according to package directions before layering them in the lasagna.

~ To make this oil-free: Use broth or water to sauté the vegetables instead of oil.

~ To make this nut-free: Use a tofu ricotta or a nut-free store-bought ricotta, like Tofutti, instead of the cashew ricotta.

~ For meal prep: The vegan ricotta can be made several days in advance. The entire lasagna can be assembled a day in advance and kept tightly covered in the fridge. When ready to bake, proceed as instructed. Allow for 15 to 20 minutes of extra time to heat through since everything we will be cold.

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