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A piece of vegan vegetable lasagna with cashew ricotta on a white plate.

Vegan Vegetable Lasagna with Cashew Ricotta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Alexandra Shytsman
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This hearty vegan lasagna has layers of roasted vegetables and creamy cashew ricotta. (This recipe has been updated from its original December 2020 version.)


Ingredients

Scale

For the Cashew Ricotta

  • 1 1/4 cups raw cashews
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons white miso
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Lasagna

  • 1 medium red or yellow onion, sliced* (see note below)
  • 1 bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • ½ head of cauliflower, chopped into small, flat bits
  • 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence, dried oregano, or dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast*
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • One 24-ounce jar store-bought marinara sauce
  • 12 no-boil lasagna sheets*

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
  2. Soak Cashews: To start the ricotta, place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Roast Vegetables: Place the onion, pepper, cauliflower, mushrooms, herbs, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Toss to coat and arrange in a single later. Roast until the vegetables are softened and golden brown, about 25 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
  4. Finish Ricotta: Drain the cashews and place in a food processor or Vitamix. Add the lemon juice, miso, garlic, and salt. Pulse until everything is broken down. Add 1/3 cup water and puree until creamy and homogeneous but not totally smooth (it should resemble ricotta, basically). Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
  5. Make Topping: In a small bowl, combine the panko, nutritional yeast, and parsley with a pinch of salt and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Using your fingers, rub the mixture together to incorporate the oil.
  6. Reduce the oven temperature to whatever the lasagna package suggests (usually 375º or 400ºF).
  7. Assemble Lasagna: Spread a few tablespoons of marinara to cover the bottom of a 9×13” casserole dish. Add 3 lasagna sheets and top with a layer of roasted vegetables, followed by dollops of ricotta and marinara. (Don’t worry about distributing the dollops evenly – they will spread themselves out as you continue assembling.) Cover with 3 more lasagna sheets, press down lightly, and repeat the layers 3 times total until you’ve used up the fillings. The final layer should be lasagna sheets. Coat them with a generous layer of marinara and sprinkle with the panko mixture.
  8. Bake: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

Notes

  • I highly recommend the veggie combo listed here, but you can also experiment with green beans, shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and spinach.
  • This vegan seasoning adds a “cheesy” flavor. But if you don’t have any, just skip it.
  • Barilla oven-ready lasagna sheets are available in most stores, but they may contain traces of egg. For fully vegan pasta, look for Jovial or Whole Foods’ 365 brand.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
  • Calories: 720