I finally have a vegan lasagna recipe that I am so pleased with! I have tried making a number of different plant based lasagnas and experimented with so many combinations but they were always lacking in height, flavour, texture, or just required too many steps to make. This lentil lasagna with a tofu "cheese" sauce has minimal prep and hits all the right notes for me!
Moist and so full of flavour
Packed with protein
Reheats and freezes wonderfully
And the prep can all be done in 40 minutes!
Ingredients For This Vegan Lasagna Recipe
This vegan lasagna recipe has a look similar to a traditional meat and cheese lasagna but is made with lentils and tofu!
I admit that this is not a "cheese pull" kind of lasagna! If that is what you are looking for then you can add some of your favourite vegan cheese shreds as another layer to this recipe and you will definitely get closer to that cheese pull goal!
But with that said, this recipe does satisfy the "cheesy", savoury, and "meaty" flavour I used to love in a traditional lasagna.
The lentil "meat" sauce is made in 25 minutes (and that is with the lentils being cooked from scratch)! To make the prep even quicker you could use canned or pre-cooked lentils:
- Sauté onion and garlic.
- Add green lentils, vegetable broth, and a bay leaf.
- Simmer for 15 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed.
- Add chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, ground sunflower seeds, tamari (or soy sauce) and vegan worcestershire sauce (or more soy sauce).
- Cook another 5-10 minutes, mash the lentils a bit, and that's it!
I use toasted and ground sunflower seeds to add texture and a nutty, savoury flavour. I love how thrifty sunflower seeds are but you could use roasted walnuts or pumpkin seeds to achieve a similar flavour and function!
Vegan lasagna recipes often require you to make more than one cheese replacement. Often there is something like a tofu ricotta and then also a bechamel. Here, I have decided to make only one "cheese" sauce that fulfills the creaminess that a bechamel would lend but also the boost of protein that a tofu ricotta would lend. Simply blend:
- Soft or medium tofu
- Nutritional yeast
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- And plant milk to make it pourable
Finally, the only other ingredients you need for this vegan lasagna recipe are tomato sauce and your lasagna noodles!
Layering Your Vegan Lasagna
The tofu "cheese" sauce can easily be blended while your lentil "meat" is cooking and within 25 to 30 minutes you are ready to layer your lasagna.
I prefer using regular lasagna noodles that you can parboil according to the package instructions. I always used oven ready noodles in the past but I have found that sometimes they can take upwards of 50 minutes to really soften in the oven. Parboiled lasagna noodles have been easier to use than I thought and the lasagna is ready in 40 minutes.
- Start by stirring about 1 ¼ cup tomato sauce into the lentil "meat" mixture to moisten it some more.
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Then add a layer of noodles.
- Cover the noodles with a layer of tomato sauce (this helps them to cook faster!)
- Next, spoon on some of the lentil "meat".
- Drizzle tofu "cheese" sauce over the lentil meat.
- Then add another layer of noodles and repeat (tomato sauce, lentils, cheese, noodles etc.)
The top of your lasagna should be a layer of noodles covered in tomato sauce and the remaining tofu "cheese" sauce drizzled over top! (Alternatively, use your favourite vegan cheese shreds for a more bubbly, cheesy topping).
Recipe Cost
This vegan lasagna recipe costs me almost $17 Canadian to make and can be sliced into 8 large servings. Even at 6 large servings this recipe works out to under $3 per serving.
The lentil "meat" costs me $3.50 to make using my homemade vegetable broth. Making your own veggie broth from your frozen veggie scraps is such an easy way to save a few dollars with so many meals! Using store-bought vegetable broth could add another $3.50 to the cost of the lentil "meat" for me!
And the tofu "cheese" sauce works out to about $4.50 for me.
I think that this recipe is a pretty thrifty option for a lasagna with a ton of protein and flavour! Lentils are such a thrifty option costing me only 95 cents for the 2 cups of green lentils used here!
If I were to use ground beef my cost would be about $6.50 before any seasonings. Likewise, any combination of dairy cheese would cost me at least the $4.50 that the tofu "cheese" costs.
I find that veggie lasagnas can get a little pricey because you need so many vegetables to fill it up. And store-bought plant based meat and cheese alternatives, although convenient, can require you to empty your pockets a bit more.
Let me know in the comments below how you like this vegan lasagna recipe and if it will be a go to for you! I have a feeling you will absolutely love my Red Lentil Ragu and my Vegan Baked Ziti too!
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Simple Vegan Lasagna with Lentil "Meat"
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This will be your favourite vegan lasagna recipe! A simple lentil "meat" and tofu "cheese" sauce pack in protein and huge flavour!
Ingredients
- 1.2 L pasta sauce (about 2 jars, you will likely have extra)
- 500 g lasagna noodles (see notes for oven-ready noodles)
Lentil "Meat"
- Half a yellow onion, minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups green lentils, dry (see notes for using pre-cooked lentils)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade for extra savings)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (1 tbsp)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds, ground (sub pumpkin seeds or walnuts)
- 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce (or more tamari)
Tofu "Cheese" Sauce
- 350 g medium or soft tofu
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup plant milk, unsweetened
*All the ingredients for this recipe are from our pantry and freezer tips!
Instructions
*I have found that some brands of oven-ready lasagna noodles can take quite a while to cook. Using a larger amount of pastsa sauce helps to keep the lasagna moist but also helps to cook the noodles. For quicker preparation, I prefer using regular noodles and parboiling them according to the package instructions.
- To make the lentil “meat” sauce, ensure you have rinsed and drained your dry lentils to remove any dirt or small rocks.
- Add a touch of oil, broth or water to a large sauté pan. Sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Add the rinsed and drained lentils, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed and the lentils are mostly cooked.
- Add the chipotle in adobo sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, ground sunflower seeds, tamari, and worcestershire sauce. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed. The lentils should be fully cooked by now and you should be able to mash them a bit with the back of your spoon. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, blend all of the ingredients to make the tofu cheese sauce. (The sauce shouldn’t be watery but it should be pourable. If your tofu was quite firm and the sauce is not pourable just add more plant milk to thin it).
- Cook your noodles according to the package instructions. I find that adding a bit of olive oil to the cooking water can help to prevent any noodles from sticking.
- To compile the lasagna, stir 1 ¼ cup (296 ml) pasta sauce into the lentil mixture to moisten it. Start the layers by spreading a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Then add a layer of noodles and another thin layer of sauce. Next; spoon on a layer of lentil “meat”, then drizzle a layer of tofu “cheese”, then lay noodles on top and repeat with sauce, “meat” and “cheese”. You should have three layers of “meat” and “cheese”. Finish with a layer of noodles, then tomato sauce, and then a drizzle of the tofu cheese on the very top.
- Bake, covered, at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the noodles are soft and the sauce is bubbling. Uncover for an additional 10 minutes to crisp up the top. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Sprinkle the top with basil if desired and try serving your lasagna with garlic bread and a vegan caesar salad!
- This lasagna freezes well if you allow it to cool completely and then freeze. Allow to defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat (covered) at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until warm. Reheating the lasagna from frozen will take much longer and ensure it stays covered with aluminum foil so that it doesn’t dry out.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $16.70 Canadian. $3.50 for the spiced lentil “meat” using homemade broth (store-bought broth can add another $3.50). 1 lb ground beef would cost me about $6.50 before any seasonings. $4.50 for the tofu “cheese” sauce. Any dairy cheese combination would cost me at least an equivalent amount, if not more, than the tofu cheese. Any store-bought plant based meat and/or cheese would certainly increase my cost.
Using oven-ready noodles I need 375 - 400 grams. I’ve noticed I use a little more pasta sauce with oven-ready noodles because it is harder to spread the sauce over the noodles. I have also found that the lasagna needs at least an additional 10 minutes covered cooking time. Make sure the noodles are soft in the centre before you uncover the dish to crisp up the top.
You can use canned or pre-cooked lentils for this recipe which will cut down on your prep time. Just sauté the onion and garlic until softened and fragrant. Add the cooked lentils with the seasonings and just enough broth to moisten everything. The bay leaf can be omitted. (You will need 4-5 cups of cooked lentils. A 540 ml can provides 2 cups of drained lentils so use 2 - 2 ½ cans).
Can other types of lentils be used? Brown lentils can be used instead of green and will provide very similar results. Split red lentils require a much shorter cooking time and they will fall apart and have a much more “mushy” texture.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 hour
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
Wayne
I just finished baking off this recipe, well, sort of.
I kind of tweaked it as I went along.
Firstly, I soaked the lentils for 24 hours with a tsp of baking powder.
I chose to cook the lentils with 2 794g/28oz cans of diced tomatoes and two 794g/28oz cans of water. The reason I did this was because I was going to use Better Than Bullion roasted veg soup base. I also swapped in Gojuchang chili paste.
This ragut came out very tasty!
The other difference was that I chose to make my own pasta sheets.
I used 300g of AP flour, 3 TBSP of rice flour, 6 TBSP of olive oil, and 3 flax eggs, and 3 chia eggs. This was my first time making pasta.
After I set up my lasagna in two pans. I used my airfryer so I used two pans that would fit in the airfryer. While the first pan was baking, I took the left over lasagna sheets and cut them into noodles. I boiled them, then sauced them with the remainder of the lentil ragut and some of the leftover tofu ricotta.
That's what I had for supper.
I'm letting the lasagna cool and solidify overnight.
Thank you for this recipe.
I wish I could share with you the photos that I took to post to my blog.
Yours, Very Sincerely And Respectfully,
Wayne M. Scace
Kathryn Alexandre
Even making your own noodles! This is great Wayne. I love the changes you made and I'm so glad you loved your dinner. I'll have to try adding gochujang next time I make it! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us all know which tweaks you made and for leaving a lovely star rating!
Wayne
Hello Ms. Kathryn,
I'll be blogging about making this recipe in a bit.
I'll definitely give your blog, and YouTube channel a shoutout in the post.
Funnily enough, most of the posts I make are of me kitbashing recipes, or tweaking them to suit me. I also share some of my thought processes that got me to where I end up. However, I always give credit for where I got the original recipe, or idea because, like scientists. I stand on the shoulders of giants. if you'd like, I can email you the URL when the post goes live.
For transparency, I will admit that I'm not vegan. Although, since 2021, I've been more and more plant forward. In 2022 I started going hardcore making, from scratch, vegan versions of things that I wanted to try.
It's been a wild ride, but I love learning new things.
I'm definitely going to try your tofu yoghurt recipe.
I just had an idea for a kitbash. Take the aquafaba ice cream recipe that I've made in past and pair it with your tofu yoghurt recipe. It would definitely kick up the protein content of the ice cream. LOL
Ms. Kathryn, I've also started postulating other applications for the lentil ragout that I made for the lasagna. Bolognese, pastitsio, gardener's pie, and Moussaka come to mind....
Yours, Very Sincerely And Respectfully,
Wayne M. Scace
Again, thank you for the recipe.
Kathryn Alexandre
For sure, thank you so much for letting us know Wayne. You can always send an email to our general contact page if you'd like. Your aquafaba ice cream sounds so interesting! I'm glad our recipes are getting you thinking of ways to mix them with yours and make your own creations!
Patty
Yum. Just made this for the first time. 18 yo picky daughter, husband and myself all love it. Definitely going into the rotation of meals! Thank you. (Smoky maple almonds cooking right now…waiting impatiently to try!)
Kathryn Alexandre
Oh great! I'm so glad you all love it and it's going into the rotation! I hope you like the smoky maple almonds too (we've been snacking on those the last few days)!
Susan
I made this yesterday for dinner with friends that are not vegan and it was a hit with everyone. I followed the recipe exactly, except that I made my own pasta sauce from scratch. After I baked it, I let it sit for 10 minutes and the pieces held their shape beautifully. This lasagna has so much flavour, and I will definitely be making it again.
Kathryn Alexandre
I'm so glad to hear that this one was a hit Susan! Thank you so much for trying it and for taking the time to come back and leave a lovely 5 star review. Maybe you got to enjoy some garden tomatoes in that homemade pasta sauce (I'm sure that was delicious)!