The Most Amazing Vegan Lasagna

This is vegan lasagna nirvana. Not only that, but omnivores love it too! I’ve served it to three people so far, none of them vegan eaters, and all of them have given this recipe rave reviews. Let’s do this thing.

Ingredients:

For the Lasagna:

• 2 cups Savory Cashew Cream, recipe follows
• 4 cups Protein-Packed Marinara Sauce or your favorite marinara sauce, recipe follows
• 2 cups Vegan Spinach Ricotta, recipe follows
• 1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (such as DeLallo Whole Wheat Lasagna)
• 1/2 cup water

Savory Cashew Cream:

• 2 cups raw cashews*
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon heaping nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon chickpea miso, optional (any light miso will work)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Protein-Packed Marinara Sauce:

• 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes (I love the Muir Glen brand with basil)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed in a fine mesh strainer
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, optional
• 2 1/2 cups water

Vegan Spinach Ricotta:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 10-12 ounce firm or extra-firm tofu drained (1 package is typically 10-12oz but can go up to 14oz, which also works fine)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach or 1 cup frozen spinach
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves**
• 2 cloves garlic***
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon light miso white, yellow, or chickpea
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

Instructions:

MAKE THE SAVORY CASHEW CREAM

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor until creamy and smooth.

MAKE THE MARINARA SAUCE

1. Heat 4 quart (or larger) saucepan over medium heat. Click here for Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker instructions.
2. Sauté the garlic and salt in olive oil for 30 seconds or so, just to wake up the garlic flavor.
3. Add the oregano, if using.
4. Stir in the sweet potato and lentils, and cook for a minute or so.
5. Add water, then bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until lentils are soft.
7. Add in crushed tomatoes, and simmer for another 5 minutes to let the sauce come together.

MAKE THE VEGAN SPINACH RICOTTA

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse cashews, garlic, miso, salt, and nutritional yeast until the mixture is fine and crumbly.
2. Add the tofu, spinach, and basil and pulse to throughly combine.

ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Thin savory cashew cream with water until it is a pourable consistency.
3. Spread one cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish.
4. Layer 5 lasagna sheets over the sauce, overlapping as needed to fit.
5. Spread 1 cup of spinach ricotta over the noodles.
6. Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce over the ricotta.
7. Pour 3/4 cup of savory cashew cream over the marinara sauce.
8. Repeat with noodles, ricotta, marinara, and cashew cream.
9. Layer remaining 5 noodles on top of the cashew cream, then top with remaining marinara sauce.
10. Set aside remaining 1/2 cup of cashew cream.
11. Cover casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove foil and pour on the remaining cashew cream.
13. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
14. If desired, broil the top for 3-4 minutes until browned.
15. Let lasagna stand for 15 minutes before devouring.

NOTES:

• *If not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in water for at least 2 hours. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
• ** Or two cubes of Dorot frozen basil
• *** Or two cubes of Dorot frozen garlic
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare components and freeze separately. Defrost the components overnight in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake the lasagna as directed above. Alternatively, assemble the lasagna and freeze, unbaked. Defrost the lasagna overnight in the fridge they day before you want to eat it and add 15 minutes to the initial baking time.