This vegan lasagna is so cheesy, hearty, and meaty, you won’t believe that it is plant-based! Even non-vegans are obsessed with it.
If you’ve tried my comforting mac and cheese and margarita pizza, then you’ll no doubt love this vegan lasagna recipe. It has the same tastes and texture of the classic Italian dish but without any animal products whatsoever!
Why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe will be a dinnertime staple because it’s:
FREE EBOOK SERIES! 5 SECRETS FOR FOOLPROOF VEGAN DESERTS
- Easy. With simple ingredients and easy instructions, this recipe won’t be a hassle, even if you’re a beginner cook.
- Just like the real thing. By using vegan mince and two kinds of vegan cheese, it’s almost an identical replica of a traditional lasagna.
- Family-friendly. It’s a crowd-pleaser, a filling meal to share from one baked dish. It also keeps well and is great as leftovers!
What I love the most about this vegan lasagna is how incredible the texture is – the layers of melted cheese, and white and meaty sauce. Seriously, serve these to your friends and no one will know it’s meatless!
Ingredients needed
This recipe calls for very simple ingredients and pantry staples. Here is what you’ll need:
Vegan meat sauce
- Olive oil. Or any other neutral flavored oil.
- Onion. Finely chopped.
- Garlic. Minced
- Vegan ground beef. Choose a brand that cooks like ground beef. We like to use beyond beef.
- Tomato sauce. Not tomato ketchup!
- Canned tomatoes. I prefer using canned diced tomatoes but fresh ones work.
- Tomato concentrate.
- Italian seasoning.
- Sugar. Just a pinch to balance out all the strong flavors.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
White sauce
- Butter. Use good quality vegan butter from a stick, not a spread. I like using Miyokos creamery.
- All-purpose flour. To thicken the sauce.
- Milk. Plant-based milk, such as coconut milk, soy milk, etc.
- Vegan cheese. I used Violife cheddar that I grated myself, but any vegan cheese that melts well works.
Lasagna
- Lasagna sheets. Use whole-wheat lasagna noodles.
- Vegan cheese. I used a mix of vegan mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese.
- Parsely. Fresh and finely chopped.
How to make a vegan lasagna?
Step 1: Prepare the meat sauce
Take a large pot and heat some oil in it over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft. Then, add a vegan ground beef substitute. You can also finely dice some homemade seitan if you have the time.
Now, add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and dried herbs. Mix everything well and let the mixture simmer for a while. Finally, add salt, pepper, and sugar, if required. Cover the pot and let it cook for 15 minutes with occasional stirring until a thick sauce forms.
Step 2: Prepare white sauce
Put a large pot over medium heat and melt butter in it. Add flour until it forms a paste. Put the pot back on the flame, add milk and mix slowly to make a lump-free and creamy sauce. Then, fold through the cheese.
Step 3: Assemble and bake lasagna
Preheat oven to 350F. Add a spoonful of meat sauce to the baking dish, and cover with a lasagna sheet. Add some meat sauce, some white sauce, and some cheese. Repeat the layers and add the remaining cheese as a topping. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling. The lasagna sheets should now be al dente.
Recipe tips and flavor variations
To enjoy a different flavor of vegan lasagna every time, here are some flavor variations that you’ll love:
Add some veggies. You can add any of your favorite veggies to amp up the nutrients. Sliced eggplant, zucchini, spinach, and even mushrooms are all fantastic additions. Make sure to add fresh vegetables for the best flavor. Frozen vegetables will make the base watery.
Use marinara sauce. If you don’t want to make your own vegetarian meat sauce from scratch, use your favorite jarred sauce. You can then enhance this with some Italian herbs, such as basil or oregano, or add some garlic powder.
Add some tofu. Blended silken tofu replicates ricotta cheese, so add some between the layers to amp up the protein. Vegan ricotta cheese is very popular in cheesy vegan dinners.
Serve with some vegan garlic bread. Follow this recipe to learn how to bake some vegan bread, then toast a few slices with vegan garlic butter and vegan parmesan cheese.
Storage instructions
To store. Place the leftovers in airtight containers to store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze. Either freeze the lasagna in its dish or portion it into single servings. Frozen lasagna will keep well for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating. You can reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a pre-heated oven until warmed through.
More pasta recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
Mostly, lasagna has at least 3 layers, but you can add more layers in you want.
Usually, the base of the lasagna would be a thin layer of marinara or “meat” sauce.
As you can see from this recipe, you have a lot of options. Supermarket dairy-free cheese is probably the quickest and easiest.
Vegan Lasagna
Ingredients
Vegan meat sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef substitute I used Beyond Beef
- 24 ounces tomato sauce
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes canned
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
White sauce
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 1/4 cups soy milk or milk of choice
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese
Lasagna
- 13 ounces lasagna sheets fresh not dry
- 3 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and onion and cook until fragrant. Add the ground beef substitute and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Once the sauce is done, prepare the white sauce. Add vegan butter into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until a paste forms. Slowly whisk in the milk, half a cup at a time. Continue letting it simmer until it has thickened. Fold through the vegan cheddar cheese until fully incorporated.
- Lightly grease a large baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the vegan meat sauce to the bottom. Cover with lasagna sheets then add a generous layer of the meat sauce. Add some white sauce, then a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat the process until all the lasagna sheets and sauce is used up. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheeses.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.
Talk Back To Me