Vegan Lasagna
Published March 11, 2020
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1small white or yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1teaspoon Italian seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
- ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1(14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
- 1(14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1tablespoon vegan sugar (optional)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2cups raw cashews
- 1small garlic clove
- 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1(15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, lightly pressed between paper towels to remove excess moisture
- 2tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Olive oil, for greasing
- Kosher salt
- 9 to 12uncooked lasagna noodles
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
For the Sauce
For the Vegan Ricotta
For Assembly
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
418 calories; 23 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 586 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the marinara sauce: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste, Italian seasoning and red-pepper flakes, then stir in the diced and crushed tomatoes and sugar, if using. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Add salt to taste. You can leave the sauce textured or purée it with an immersion blender, depending on your preference. Remove from heat.
- Step 2
Make the ricotta: Add the cashews and garlic to a food processor and process until the cashews form a coarse meal, about 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the processor, then turn the processor back on. While it’s running, drizzle in ½ cup water and the lemon juice. Process until completely smooth and the texture resembles hummus, another 2 minutes.
- Step 3
Crumble the block of tofu into the processor, add the nutritional yeast, and season with salt and pepper. Continue processing until the mixture is smooth and resembles ricotta, stopping to scrape the sides of the processor as needed, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Step 4
Assemble the lasagna: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bring a large, salted pot of water to boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions, until they’re al dente. (Skip this step if you’re using no-boil noodles.)
- Step 5
Layer 1 scant cup marinara sauce at the bottom of your lasagna dish. Cover it with a layer of 3 to 4 lasagna noodles. Cover the noodles with half the vegan ricotta. Cover the ricotta with another layer of noodles, followed by another cup of marinara and the remaining ricotta. Add a final layer of noodles and the remaining marinara sauce. Bake the lasagna for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the marinara on top is dark and the lasagna is bubbling. Top with torn basil leaves, if desired, and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
A good base recipe. I was short on time so I used a large jar of Raos sauce and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes for the marinara. The tofu cashew mix is great, but I definitely recommend add in layers of veggies with the “ricotta” for flavor and texture. I did a layer of marinated artichoke hearts and wish I added a different veggie for the second layer. Also my fave lasagna tip - no need to cook the noodles. Soak the lasagna for ~30min in hot water while you are prepping.
Grated 3 large carrots (about 1 cup), 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium yellow onion in food processor, sautéd in olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes and combined with the “ricotta” and proceeded with recipe as directed. Extra step but totally worth it. Also used the excellent suggestion of a large jar of Rao’s with a can of crushed tomatoes instead of making sauce.
Suggestion: For a really cheesy cashew "cream cheese" add a tablespoon of vegan yogurt (preferably with no additives) or a bit of yogurt culture to the cashew cream, and then let it ferment at room temperature in covered glass container for 24 to 36 hours. I would add the lemon juice after the fermenting is over. It's really worth it in terms of the added depth of flavor. (I boil cashews first to kill extraneous bacteria. It's great as vegan "cream cheese" too, for bagels, etc.)
I slice zucchini or eggplant vertically brush with olive oil and broil for a few minutes on each side and layer that in. It can even replace the noodles. Love this ricotta. Agree that adding more veggies is the move.
The sauce is fantastic! Added a little extra Italian seasoning, olive oil and red peppers. Blended it at the end so my son would not notice the onion chunks. Enjoy!
I find this to be better than dairy based lasagna!
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