The Only Vegan Lasagna Recipe You’ll Ever Need (I Promise)

Vegan Lasagna Recipe That Will Make You Forget About Cheese (Really!) – I’m not vegan. Let’s just get that out of the way.

Vegan Lasagna

Lumina Liu

This vegan lasagna is a plant-based version of the Italian classic, made with lentils, vegetables, and a creamy sauce that does not contain dairy. It is a filling and satisfying meal that is suitable for both everyday dinners and special occasions.

4.8 from 124 votes

Prep Time 20 Minutes

Cook Time 55 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 320 calories kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup green red lentils
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 small zucchini
• Sprinkling of coriander
• 150g spinach
• 10 lasagne sheets
• 35g vegan butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 300ml soya milk
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2. Boil vegetables for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add lentils and bring to a gentle simmer, adding a stock cube if desired. Continue cooking and stirring until the lentils are soft, which should take about 20 minutes.
3. Blanch spinach leaves for a few minutes in a pan, before removing and setting aside.
4. Top up the pan with water and cook the lasagne sheets. When cooked, drain and set aside.
5. To make the sauce, melt the butter and add the flour, then gradually add the soya milk along with the mustard and the vinegar. Cook and stir until smooth and then assemble the lasagne as desired in a baking dish.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 320.00 caloriesFat: 10.00 gCarbohydrates: 45.00 gFiber: 8.00 gProtein: 12.00 g

Keyword vegan lasagna, plant-based pasta, dairy-free lasagna, lentil lasagna, Italian vegan recipes

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I’m a woman who has been known to drive 40 minutes for a specific cheese, who considers butter a food group, and who once had a dream about swimming in a pool of crème fraîche.

But here I am, telling you that this vegan lasagna recipe is worth every second of your time. And I’m not even sorry about it.

How I Stumbled Upon Vegan Lasagna (By Accident)

Last month, my friend Ella came over for dinner. Ella, who had recently gone vegan after watching a documentary that I’m now afraid to see because I really don’t want to give up cheese.

The panic set in as I realized I had planned a lasagna night. Classic, cheese-laden, could-stop-your-heart lasagna.

Three panicked texts and one surprisingly calm phone call later, I found myself at the grocery store buying lentils and vegan butter, wondering what life choices had led me to this moment.

But here’s the thing – the lasagna I made that night? It was actually… good? And not in that “good for vegan food” way, but in the “I’ve made this three times since then” way.

The Magic of Vegan Lasagna: No Compromise Required

There’s something magical about a recipe that refuses to compromise. This vegan lasagna recipe doesn’t apologize for what it’s missing – it celebrates what it has.

The lentils provide a heartiness that makes you forget about meat. The vegetables add layers of flavor that dance across your palate. And that vegan béchamel? I may have licked the spoon. Twice. Don’t judge me.

What makes this vegan lasagna recipe special isn’t just the absence of animal products – it’s the presence of thoughtful ingredients that work together to create something truly satisfying.

It’s comfort food that happens to be plant-based, not plant-based food masquerading as comfort food.

The Ingredients: Building Blocks of Plant-Based Deliciousness

Before we dive into the cooking process, let’s talk about what goes into this vegan masterpiece:

• 1 cup green or red lentils (I’ve used both – the red cook faster but the green hold their shape better)
• 1 carrot, diced (the sweeter the better)
• 1 onion, finely chopped (yellow works best here)
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• A sprinkling of fresh coriander (don’t skip this – it adds a brightness that the dish needs)
• 150g spinach (fresh is ideal, but frozen works in a pinch – just squeeze out all the excess water)
• 10 lasagne sheets (check the package to make sure they’re vegan)
• 35g vegan butter (Earth Balance is my go-to)
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 300ml soya milk (unsweetened, please)
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard (Dijon gives the best flavor)
• 1 teaspoon vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar here)

The Method: Bringing Your Vegan Lasagna To Life

Now follow the following step-by-step guide to have your vegan lasagna ready for tonight:

Step 1: Prepare the Lentil Filling

Let’s begin by preheating your oven to 180°C (356°F). I know recipes always tell you to preheat first, and I usually ignore this step until halfway through prep, but trust me – you’ll want your oven hot and ready when this lasagna is assembled.

Now for the filling. Dice your carrot, onion, and zucchini into small, even pieces. The smaller they are, the quicker they’ll cook and the better they’ll integrate with the lentils.

Boil these vegetables for 5-7 minutes until they’re just soft. You’re not looking for mushy here – there’s still more cooking to come.

Add your lentils to the pot and bring everything to a gentle simmer. This is where I like to crumble in a vegetable stock cube, even though the original recipe just suggests it as an option.

It adds a depth of flavor that transforms the lentils from “healthy protein source” to “delicious lasagna filling.” Keep cooking and stirring occasionally until the lentils are soft, which takes about 20 minutes. If things start looking dry, add a splash of water.

Step 2: Prepare the Spinach and Pasta

While your lentil mixture is simmering away, multitask by blanching your spinach. Drop the leaves into boiling water for about 2 minutes until they wilt, then fish them out and set them aside.

I like to give them a gentle squeeze to remove excess water – nobody wants a watery lasagna.

Using the same pot of water (because who wants to wash more pots than necessary?), cook your lasagne sheets according to the package instructions.

Some are no-boil, some need a few minutes. Once they’re al dente, drain and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel so they don’t stick together.

There are few kitchen frustrations greater than trying to peel apart stuck-together pasta sheets while everything else is ready to go.

Step 3: Make the Vegan Béchamel Sauce

Now for what I consider the most critical component: the vegan béchamel sauce. This is what will make or break your vegan lasagna recipe.

In a saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes. You’re making a roux here, and you want to cook out the raw flour taste without letting it brown.

Gradually add the soya milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. This is not the time for multitasking or checking your phone – give this sauce your undivided attention for a few minutes.

Once all the milk is incorporated, add the mustard and vinegar, which give the sauce a tangy depth that mimics the complexity of traditional cheese sauce.

Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce is smooth and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick, add a splash more soya milk. Too thin? Let it simmer a bit longer.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake Your Vegan Lasagna

Now comes the fun part – assembly! Grab a baking dish (I use a 9×13 inch one) and start layering:

1. A thin layer of lentil mixture on the bottom
2. A layer of lasagne sheets
3. More lentil mixture
4. A layer of blanched spinach
5. Another layer of lasagne sheets
6. The remaining lentil mixture
7. A final layer of lasagne sheets
8. All of that beautiful vegan béchamel sauce

Top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if you’re feeling fancy (though this isn’t in the original recipe, I find it adds a nice “cheesy” finish).

Pop the whole thing into your preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling. The corners should be slightly crispy – those are the pieces everyone will fight over, trust me.

Tips, Tricks, and Variations for Vegan Lasagna Success

After making this vegan lasagna recipe several times (in the name of research, obviously), I’ve discovered a few tricks worth sharing:

• Vegetable variations: Feel free to switch up the vegetables based on what’s in season or what needs to be used up in your fridge. Bell peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant all work beautifully.
• Spice it up: The original recipe is fairly mild, so don’t be afraid to add some heat with red pepper flakes or smoked paprika.
• Make-ahead magic: This vegan lasagna actually tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it ahead and reheat when needed. Just cover with foil for the first 15 minutes of reheating to prevent the top from burning.
• Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free lasagne sheets and a gluten-free flour blend for the béchamel to make this friendly for those avoiding gluten.

The Verdict: A Vegan Lasagna Recipe Worth Sharing

Here’s the honest truth: this vegan lasagna won’t taste exactly like a traditional cheese-laden version. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s its own creation – hearty, satisfying, and genuinely delicious on its own terms.

When I served this to my very skeptical, very Italian father-in-law, he took one bite, then another, then cleaned his plate before looking up and saying, “I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.

Coming from a man who considers Parmigiano-Reggiano a necessary food group, I consider this the highest praise possible.

So whether you’re vegan, cooking for vegan friends, or just trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into your rotation, give this vegan lasagna recipe a try.

At worst, you’ll have a healthy dinner. At best, you’ll discover a new favorite that just happens to be vegan.

And if you do make it, please let me know how it goes. I’ll be over here, not missing the cheese nearly as much as I thought I would.