I used to be skeptical of vegan lasagna—could it really be that good? This recipe is proof that yes, it really can. This vegan lasagna tastes as good as it looks.
My husband, who has a major weakness for creamy pastas, also found the concept of a cheese-less lasagna questionable. I figured this recipe would convince him, so I brought some home and put it in the fridge. I soon found the man in the kitchen, going back for seconds. Then thirds.
If you’ve been paying very close attention to my recipe substitution notes over the years, you may have tried this technique already. It’s based on the vegan variation of the cheesy roasted eggplant lasagna in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 163). I shared the concept in my classic vegetarian lasagna recipe, too.
Today, I wanted to show you the results with photographic proof. If you’re in the mood for a dairy-free alternative to traditional cheesy lasagna, this recipe is for you.
How to Make the Best Vegan Lasagna
You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s why this recipe works:
1) Cashew cream in lieu of dairy
We’re replacing traditional mozzarella and ricotta with cashew-based sour cream. It’s easy to whip up in a blender. I’m still amazed by how well this “sour cream” concoction replaces all kinds of creamy, dairy-based cheeses and sauces. Some other recipes suggest blended tofu for this component, but cashew cream tastes much, much better.
One caveat—if you don’t have a heavy-duty blender, you’ll need to soak your cashews for a few hours before blending. If you’re blessed with a Vitamix (affiliate link) or similarly powerful blender, you don’t need to bother with the soaking step.
2) Vegetables for flavor and nutrition
We’re also building flavor by sautéing lots of vegetables and spinach. I used onion, carrots and mushrooms, but feel free to use whichever vegetables you have on hand (zucchini, bell pepper, or even butternut squash would work). Mushrooms are particularly good because they offer some umami depth to this meatless lasagna.
3) Garnish with more cashew cream, vegan Parmesan and fresh basil
We’ll layer up and bake this lasagna just like a regular lasagna. Once it’s out of the oven, we’ll drizzle a little leftover cashew cream on top. The cashew cream on the inside condenses as it bakes, so this adds a nice touch of irresistible creaminess.
Lastly, we’ll sprinkle on some vegan Parmesan, which is made with hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and garlic and onion powder. It’s the perfect salty flavor booster. Add some fresh basil leaves if you have them!
Wondering what to serve with your lasagna? I’d pair it with roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli, a simple side salad with balsamic dressing, or my Greek lentil salad for some additional protein.
If you’re craving more hearty vegan meals, here are a few delicious options:
- Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans) or Classic Minestrone Soup
- Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils & Marinara Sauce
- Ratatouille
- Mujadara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)
Or, browse all of my vegan recipes here.
Watch How to Make Vegan Lasagna
Best Vegan Lasagna
- Author:
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Stovetop and baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Who knew vegan lasagna could be so delicious? This dairy-free lasagna recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and tastes amazing. It’s the best! Recipe yields 8 servings.
Ingredients
Cashew cream
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours if you do not have a high-powered blender
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Vegetables
-
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-to-large yellow onion, chopped
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2 large or 3 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
-
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
-
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
-
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
5 to 6 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
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2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Everything else
- 2 ½ cups marinara sauce, homemade* or store-bought (I used Rao’s)
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles**
- Suggested garnishes: vegan Parmesan (or a light sprinkle of nutritional yeast) and fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you soaked your cashews, drain and rinse them until the water runs clear.
- In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and mustard. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If you’re having trouble blending the mixture, slowly blend in up to ½ cup additional water, using only as much as necessary. Set aside.
- Then, we’ll prepare the vegetables: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the onion, carrots, mushrooms, salt and several twists of black pepper. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until most of the moisture is gone and the vegetables are tender and turning golden on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add another splash of olive oil if necessary to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
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Add a few large handfuls of spinach to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Spread ¾ cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9” by 9” baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top (snap off their ends to fit, and/or overlap their edges as necessary). Spread 1 cup of the cashew cream evenly over the noodles. Top with half of the veggies. Top with ¾ cup tomato sauce.
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Top with 3 more noodles, followed by another 1 cup cashew cream (save the leftover cream). Then add the remaining veggies.
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Top with 3 more noodles, then spread ¾ cup tomato sauce over the top to evenly cover the noodles.
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Wrap a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil around the top of the lasagna, making sure it’s taut so it doesn’t touch the top. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes, then remove the cover, rotate the pan by 180° and continue cooking for about 5 to 10 more minutes, until it’s steaming and lightly bubbling at the corners.
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Remove the pan from the oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes, so it has time to set and cool down to a reasonable temperature. Drizzle leftover cashew cream on top (if it’s too thick to drizzle, thin it out with a small amount of water first). Sprinkle vegan Parmesan and fresh basil on top, if using, then slice and serve.
Notes
*Homemade marinara sauce note: You’ll need to double my marinara recipe to yield enough for this recipe, and then you’ll have extra. If you don’t think you’ll use it up within a few days, you can freeze it for later.
**Lasagna noodle recommendations: I like to use DeLallo’s Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (affiliate link) and Whole Foods’ 365 No-Boil Lasagna Noodles. See below for gluten-free suggestions.
Make it gluten free: Substitute gluten-free lasagna noodles. Choose no-boil (oven ready) noodles if possible; if not, cook them according to package directions. (Fair warning, I tried using DeBoles brand of no-bake lasagna noodles and they weren’t quite done cooking in the time specified here. Reheated leftovers were ok, though.)
Change it up: Feel free to play around with the vegetables here. You’ll want to use about 3 cups chopped veggies total (excluding the onion). Butternut squash might be nice, or try one zucchini and one red bell pepper in place of the mushrooms.
Storage suggestions: Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Gently reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven as needed. Or, freeze it for later—it’s generally easier to reheat single servings than to defrost a big block of lasagna!
Lauren Baker
I have made twice and an absolute hit!!!!!!The second time I doubled the recipe and my husband ate almost the whole thing! He hates mushrooms but chopped them up until they were unrecognizable!!! Thank you for this amazingly great recipe!!I am a vegetarian and felt like I was cheating with this wonderful entree! My son and daughter were the first to try it when I visited them in California! They were fighting over the leftovers! I made the 9×9! I promised to make it when I return in July!
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for sharing.
Spencer
Have made this many times and it’s amazing. I recently made the switch to gluten free noodles on the recipe, which I recommend boiling for a 3-4 minutes and drying prior to baking so they don’t get overly crispy.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Spencer!
Karen
Hi Kate, This is hands down my favorite vegan meal! Tonight I need to omit the spinach since my mom can’t have that with the meds she takes. Could I use brocolli or cauliflower as a substitute? (I can pick up anything you think would be best). When do I add it to the mix? Thank you!
Kate
Hi, you can use those! Just make sure it matches the quantity recommended and cook like you would the other raw vegetables.
Karen
Thank you!! Just adore this recipe and every recipe I’ve made from your site! I double this lasagna and freeze huge single portions so I have it at the ready when no time to cook. It nukes up wonderfully in a flash. True comfort food! Ps if it matters to anyone, my scale always seems to reward me with a weight loss after I’ve eaten this for dinner, which is crazy wonderful! Thank you Kate!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Karen. Thanks you for sharing!
Lauren
My husband said he never needs a meat and cheese lasagna again! I was super impressed with how flavorful and moist this was. I did use an 8×11 dish instead of 9×9 and it turned out just fine.
Kate
I love that! Thank you for your review.
Tara Goozee Mason
I made it with Lacinato Kale and it was fantastic!
Fran
Thank you for this recipe. It was so fun, delicious, and healthy, and I will most definitely make it again! Like always, I tripled the garlic :). Gluten free recommendation: I used Simply Nature Yellow Lentil lasagna sheets (from Aldi) and they worked perfectly.
Katie
Hi Kate,
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us! I have just made it for the first time and loved it so much! I will definitely be making it again.
I added in sliced sweet potato, zucchini and lentils and it turned out great.
I am looking forward to eating my leftovers for lunch tomorrow at work!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Katie! Thank you for your review.
Teri
This was SO good! We’re new to plant-based eating and your recipes are making it so much easier! Every time we try one we love it. My whole family gave an immediate thumbs up to this and it was amazing how much the cashew cream tasted like ricotta! Thank you. Keep up the great work!
Kate
You’re welcome, Teri! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Eileen Nolan
Fabulous! In order to enjoy on a school night, I did prep work over the weekend & put it in the oven on a Tuesday. A keeper! Thanks!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Elieen! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Karen H.
Holy crap–thisis amazing!!! I decided to go vegan in February and have been doing great with it but I keep getting cravings for your veggie lasagna. This is the perfect replacement. Thank you!!!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Karen! Thank you for your review.
Brenda B.
This is one of the few recipes in my repertoire where I don’t change or substitute a darn thing, and that is RARE for me. This lasagna is a repeat favourite for us – I have made it many, many times for vegan and non-vegan guests, and as a regular family meal for our little family of three. The flavour and texture is perfection!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you enjoyed it as is. Thank you fo your review, Brenda.
lesley blakeway
Hi I made this recipe as is and when I make it again, I will skip the cashew cream and instead use silken tofu for the cheese. The cashew cream is a little tart for my tastes. Otherwise thought your directions were good and the recipe was super easy and tasty!
Lani
I love this recipe!
I want to report a bug: when I pull up the recipe the cashew cream part actually displays the 2x ingredients list. When I press 2x then back to 1x it corrects to the 1x amount. Its not a huge problem bc it just makes it suuuuper creamy, but I thought I would let you know!
Christine
Thank you for pointing this out! 2 cups of cashews seemed a lot for me, so I’m glad I checked out the comment section and saw your review from May. Error hasn’t been corrected, still the same problem.
Sasika
It was my first time trying a vegan lasagna. My brother absolutely loved it. I will definitely do it again
Thanks for sharing
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for sharing.
Katie
HUGE hit with my whole family (myself, husband and two year old) and possibly the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I could honestly eat the entire thing. Absolutely amazing recipe!
BRI
Can i use a food processor instead of blender ?
Kate
You can try it! Let me know how it works for you.
Sara
This is one of our favourite vegan meals – it is ridiculously good – we team it with homemade garlic bread and timon (sliced cucumber sliced red onion chillis and sugar all mixed together and sat in the fridge for an hour) – amazing!
Marcia
I just made this lasagna for the first time and it is fantastic!! It’s our new favorite lasagna (by a mile – in fact several miles!). I made the recipe as written except I added more carrots and spinach, a couple sliced zucchini, an additional jar of marinara (and Italian seasoning as the one I use is salt-free). My lasagna-loving partner gave it the ultimate compliment as he said that he would put it up against ANY lasagna any time. Thanks very much for sharing this recipe!!
Kate
I love it! Thank you for your review, Marcia.
Marcia
PS – I forgot to say in my review just now that I scaled the recipe to 1.5 times the original amounts. With the addition of the extra veg, marinara, and the scaled up number of noodles, it filled a 15×20 baking dish. I did use the vegan parmesan that you recommended as a topping. SOOOOO good!!!
Katie
My goodness. This lasagna is amazing!!
I did add zucchini to mine as I gave a glut of zucchini in the garden.
I also added about 100g of chickpeas to the veggie mix.
I tore basil and parsley and placed them in the layers also.
That cashew cream just absolutely set this dish apart.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Kate
Thank you, Katie!
Kate
My husband has made this recipe 5+ times and we love it! We usually make it with brown rice noodles (cooked before) which works best. We did it once with quinoa noodles (no cook) and they were still crunchy so I wouldn’t recommend that method due to not long enough cooking time or maybe not enough liquid. We love it as is, and also with butternut squash added (mmm veggies!). A new staple in our house!
Carol
I was truly doubtful about this recipe and was going to embelish it with other vegetables but in the end, went with the original. So glad I did. Everyone raved about it and I wished I had doubled the recipe. Even the one person who was very against vegan food, had to admit that he had enjoyed it! I will definitely make this again in a much larger quantity. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Carol! Thank you for your review.
Vanda Hudak
I made this lasagna for the second time and it is now officially our family favourite. I used GF lasagna pasta to accommodate my husband and added a few basil leaves to the cashew cream. Super simple and supper yummy. Thank you.
Kate
That’s great, Vanda! I’m happy you loved it.
Michalina
This is the BEST vegan lasagna I have made so far. My husband and I love it so much that it has been added to our weekly dinner rotation. Simple to make with an amazing flavor!
Christy
Absolutely delicious!! And easy enough to make on a weekday! Thanks so much for a great recipe my whole family enjoyed!
Kate
I’m glad this was such a hit with your entire family, Christy! I appreciate your review.
Charlene
Can this be put together and baked the next day?
Kate
Hi, I would recommend to assemble and bake right away as the vegetables and sauce can release moisture as they sit impacting your results.
Charlene
I did not see your reply before I made the lasagna. I did make it the day before and baked it the day we were eating it. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!
Kate
Great! I’m glad you loved it.
Ellie FRANCIS
Have made the Vegan lasagne twice now!! Deeelish!! A vegan friend of mine suggested adding puree’ed cauliflower with cashew cheese , a great addition and gives more yummy sauce to smother it with! Thanks for this fab recipe!
Kate
That’s wonderful to hear, Ellie. Thank you for your review!
Andrea
So good! Sadly, I’m the only one in my house who will be eating it. I’m going to freeze half of it for later and hope for the best.
Thank you!
Kate
I would recommend freezing individual portions so you can pull out what you would like. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Andrea!
Toni
Oh my gosh!!!
Just heaven
My mother and I both love this recipe so much. This will be my go to lasagne recipe every time now
Thanks so much
Kate
I love that this recipe is a go-to for you! Thanks for sharing.
Tara
I made the recipe just as written, 1 c of cashews …but when it came to putting it together there was only one cup of cashew cream…so I made more, There wasn’t any left over for drizzling on top. Did I do something wrong? I think it will still turn out great. Just wondering about the measurements.
Thanks!!
and btw it is amazingly delicious. Do not miss cheese at all!!
Kate
Hi! If you made it to the measurements, you should have still had some left over. It called for two cups of cashews for the cream sauce.
GW
This came up for us as a bug; if you double the recipe, the amount of cashews doesn’t change (it still says two cups). Then if you go back to the 1X, it changes to one cup. So we just manually doubled. Fixing this could avoid some confusion though.
Kate
Hi GW, I’m sorry to hear that. I will take a look. Thank you for brining it to my attention!
Mary
Do not be hesitant to try this recipe.
I made it tonight and it was fabulous! Even my skeptical family liked it. I’m trying to use more plant-based recipes, but it is hard to find ones my family will eat. This one is a keeper!!
For what it’s worth: I used Tinkyada brand brown rice lasagna noodles, but instead of cooking them, I soaked them in hot tap water while I prepared everything else and then used them as is. They had a great texture. (I use this trick with regular pasta noodles, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with GF, but it did!)
Madeline
This is better than a lot of regular lasagna! I especially love the cashew cream. Healthy, sumtuous, flavorful, comforting – it’s perfect for vegans and nonvegans alike. It is impossible to not love this!
Andy
I have an 8 X 8 pan, but not a 9 X 9 pan and if I can avoid spending money on a new pan, that’d be great. Suggestions as to how to adapt this to an 8 X 8 pan?
Kate
Hi Andy, you could try to double it for a 9×13. It won’t quite fit in an 8×8. You could try adjusting some of the ingredients to fewer, but I can’t say how much without trying it.
Linda Smull
Hi…Blessings on the new life coming to you. A little girl, how lovely!
I have been a follower for a couple of years now and have your cookbook which I use almost daily. My partner who is totally blind also appreciates the vegetarian recipes. One of our favorites is the breakfast artichoke and spinach quiche. In fact I used the almond flour crust for another filling using red peppers and mushrooms and substituting a cup of yogurt for the milk. It was delicious!
The only problem with the cookbook is that the binder has come free from the pages. I was thinking about ordering another if the binding has been improved. What do you think?
Thanks again and prayers for a healthy baby and a great healing for your brother.Linda
Kate
Thank you, Linda! I appreciate your support and following along.
Janine
Was loved by all the kids and the husband. I asked my daughter what she wanted for a celebration meal and she said that really good vegan lasagne please mum
Jennifer
Yum! Made this yesterday and while, like most lasagna’s are (for me), it takes a bit of time, it is super good and I will make it again. I used zucchini with the mushrooms, no complaints.
Someone else noted here that there’s a bug with the servings. Glad I caught it beforehand. 1x serving presumably should only need 1C cashews, etc., yet by default is showing the amounts for 2x. Only when one changes the 1x/2x/etc. thing does it right itself.
Also, 1x says 9 servings but thw Nutritional info says 8. I can do the math of course, but thought worth mentioning if there’s a bug.
Claudia
BEST lasagna ever!!! Thank you for the delicious recipes!
Kate
You’re welcome, Claudia! I appreciate your review.
Jayne Green
Hi Kate
This really is the “Best Vegan Lasagna!!!” If there are leftovers in the fridge I wake up thinking about them and have an early lunch!! :)
Do you think I could freeze the cashew cream before cooking if I do a larger quantity and split it up?
Thanks for all your lovely recipes, I don’t usually think about writing reviews but this was beyond delicious!
Thank you
Jayne
Kate
I love it! I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. But I would be interested to hear how it turns out for you, if you try it!
Prakar Poudel
Thank you for your tips. I have recently been a vegan. So, I found so hard to choose food and prepare without meat and dairy. I add up almonds and dates with cashew which made it a bit interesting.
Prakar Poudel
Thank you for your tips. I have recently been a vegan. So, I found so hard to choose food and prepare without meat and dairy. I add up almonds and dates with cashew which made it a bit interesting.
Thanks from other side of globe
Nepal(it is a country)
Heidi E
This lasagna is amazing. I was skeptical but the cashew cream does not disappoint. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Heidi! Thank you for your review.
Marla J Uzanas
I would like to make this for a Bridal shower next week, the shower is On August 28, so I have to make it the day before. Will there be a difference to reheat the day of the shower?
Kate
Hi! It does make good leftovers. You could try reheating it in the oven or individually. Although, I have only reheated individual portions in the microwave.
Lauren
My husband said he never needs a meat and cheese lasagna again! I was super impressed with how flavorful and moist this was. I did use an 8×11 dish instead of 9×9 and it turned out just fine.
Tamara Moon
Hi! My daughter is vegan and I’d love to try this but normally lasagne noodles are not vegan! I guess I could try this with zucchini slices in place of the pasta…. If I do I’ll let you know:). Absolutely love your blog and have been cooking your recipes for several years now. Thank you
Kate
Hi Tamara, you should be able to find some. Let me know how it turns out!
Tamara Moon
Thank you Kate! I absolutely will. ❤️
Michelle
Most lasagna noodles in the store are free of eggs or dairy, and the bake-ready by Ronzoni are super easy to use (I like them better because they aren’t as thick).
Jannine
Hi Kate is there any reason why you use no boil lasagne pasta instead of fresh? I absolutely loved this recipe but the pasta didn’t seem the best maybe it was the quality of it ♀️
Kate
Hi Jannie, I found they worked well and one less step. You could try a different brand or use regular and just follow my notes on gluten free noodles. Let me know what you think!
Sherry Penney
Would like to know can you predo early and freeze. I have a wedding to cater in 2 weeks would like to pre make and freeze we only have 3 vegan guests..just would like to know if it can be done early and frozen
Kate
Hi Sherry! I haven’t tried to freeze this recipe. But, I believe others have and didn’t mind the results.
Karen McKay
So good every time we make it. My meat lover son even liked it! Thank you for such a great meal!
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen! I appreciate your review.
Kylie
Unreal recipe!! Thanks for sharing it!
It was my first time making it and unfortunately I didn’t see the notes about doubling the sauce quantity at the bottom of the page until I had the lasagne in the oven! So mine did come out a bit dry haha whoops! Maybe worth editing that into the recipe?
I’m looking forward to making it again – so good we’ve nearly eaten the whole thing in one day!
Thanks again
Rach
Wow! What a hit. Thank you!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Rach! I appreciate your review.
Tracie
Just made this and it was so good, this will be my new favourite dinner
Susan Jensen
I made this yesterday- it was one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. Restaurant worthy for sure. Thank you! btw, I am gluten free and so used the GF noodles, but took your advice and cooked first. It was an amazing meal!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Susan!
Krystal
Absolutely delicious! Thank you very much for the recipe, my new favourite dinner meal.
Kate
Your’e welcome, Krystal!
Karman Goerks
Very good and I even HATE mushrooms. I made it like the recipe.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Karman! Thank you for your review.
Jan
Congratulations on your new baby girl…she’s just beautiful!
My niece (vegan) and I (not vegan) enjoy cooking together and we tried this recipe last weekend. She suggested subbing vegan ricotta for the cashew cream to save time, and it was a winning (though pricey) alternative. We added shredded vegan Parmesan to the top before baking, rather than sprinkling it on top at the end. The final result was delicious! Will definitely make it again, with a bit more tomato sauce on top or on the side. Thank you Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Jan! We are pretty happy. I’m glad you love this recipe!
Kelly
Holy ****. I struggle to understand how good this recipe came out. My family rarely if ever eats vegan or vegetarian, so I’ve been trying to work in recipes now and then- this was FANTASTIC. I also really appreciated that it didn’t require any ‘hard to find’ ingredients. Typical ‘no-boil’ lasagna noodles are already typically vegan by accident, the raw cashews were the ‘hardest’ thing to find because I omitted the nutritional yeast- I used a sprinkle of garlic salt on top instead. Seriously amazing.
Don’t give up on the cashew cream- I have an ancient blender and was still able to make it- I soaked for 4 hours with two batches of hot water- if you keep with it even an old blender can make a really amazing creamy sauce. I did bake this 35 minutes instead of 25 just to make sure the noodles cooked through- you could probably help cooktime by pre-heating the tomato sauce before assembly too.
I seriously still struggle to understand how this turned out so fantastic. So much flavor, the ‘cheese’ was so creamy and amazing, so satisfying, but no regretful ‘heavy’ feeling afterwards. Best recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m excited you loved it. Thank you for sharing, Kelly!
Cristen
Amazing! We used mushrooms, broccoli rabe, and roasted cauliflower and this was EXQUISITE!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Cristen! Thank you for your review.
Kristin Smith
Do the cashews have to be raw? Is roasted okay?
Kate
Hi, raw is best for the most creamy sauce. Let me know if you try it!
Sally L
I made this lasagna with your Hearty Lentil Spaghetti Sauce. Out of control good! I cannot believe how scrumptious it was. It’s in the fridge right now and I’m jonesing. My husband said if I wasn’t home he would have eaten 3/4 of the pan. : ). Thank you for your all of your great recipes!
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Sally! Thank you for your review.
Denise Brewer
This dish was amazingly delicious. I could hardly stop eating it. I have not had lasagne since becoming vegan that I thought was amazing and this totally was! I even used noodles made from lentils and it was STILL SO GREAT! Thank you, Kate! SO MUCH!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it, Denise.
Diane
Made this for our vegan family members last night. It was excellent. Easy to assemble and delicious. I plan on making it again.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Diane! Thank you for your review.
Diane
I have made this recipe a few times, getting ready to make it again. I’m a vegan, the rest of my family is not, but they really enjoy this Lasagna. It is my go to dish to take somewhere to share that is vegan for a special occasion and something I can eat.
Kate
I’m glad everyone could enjoy it, Diane! I appreciate your review.
Jackie
Made this and was absolutely delicious. Even the meat eaters of my family took some home and raved about how good it was the next day. It was also very easy and quick to make. Making tomorrow for my daughters pre wedding dinner as have a few vegans coming along, I have no doubt that this will be more popular than the traditional lasagne I will be making also.
Thank you for the great recipe, and love your web site.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Jackie. I’m glad you are enjoying the blog.
Robin Butler
Unbelievably delicious. I made this for Christmas dinner last year and it’s been requested multiple times during the year since by my family. The cheese recipe has independently become a go-to, as well; there’s often a bowl of it in the fridge to drizzle over rice and beans or use for a dip. Absolutely everyone loves this recipe. Thank you!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad it’s a hit with everyone.
Yafa Talisse
This is my go to lasagna recipe! EVERYONE LOVES IT!! hope to make this for Thanksgiving but I just realize I guess has a cashew allergy! Any other way to make this? A substitution for cashews?
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you love it. Unfortunately, I don’t have a great alternative for cashews to achieve the same cheese-like alternative.
Maurene Freedman
This recipe was delicious. I changed it a bit and used gluten free noodles. I did the no boil way which just required extra sauce and cooking a little longer. I also used follow my heart mozzarella which made it great!
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Maurene!
Maurene Freedman
This recipe was delicious. I changed it a bit and used gluten free noodles. I did the no boil way which just required extra sauce and cooking a little longer. I also used follow my heart mozzarella which made it great! I also used ready made vegan ricotta.
Hazel
This is a winner! Even our carnivore friends prefer this to meat lasagna, probably because of the cashew cream. It’s never let me down! Thanks for an excellent recipe!
Elizabeth Hayes
I made this for the first time and it was incredible! My daughters who are home for Thanksgiving RAVED about it and asked for the recipe. We couldn’t believe it was vegan — so creamy and flavorful. I added zucchini and a jalapeno for just a little heat. Very yummy – will definitely make again!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Elizabeth!
Sarah
This recipe is so easy to accomodate with whatever you have in the fridge (vegetables wise). I made it 4 times already and I am obsessed with it. I share the best vegan recipes I find with my vegan friends and this is definitely one of them! Tried it with leftover peas, butternut, pumpkin, paprika, with normal passata (not as good as the marinada sauce on this blog), with soya cream and maize starch when I didn’t have cashews anymore (again, not as good as the cashew cream). What I love about it, and the main condition for me to be a keeper, is the versatile aspect of the recipe. Thank you!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sarah!
Donna Connerty
I make this all the time! It IS the Best Vegan Lasagna!! Ps it freezes well. The first time I froze it the mushrooms got, well, mushy :) now I use portabella mushrooms and chop them in large pieces and I’m careful not to overcook them with the carrots & onions.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Donna!
sharon fegan
I made this today with a couple changes and it turned out great! I used sliced zucchini instead of noodles. I added a little extra garlic and some crushed red peppers to the veggies, plus plant-based mozzarella shreds on top. So good! I’m definitely saving this recipe. Thanks!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing what you did, Sharon! I appreciate your review.
Scott R
Really good – The cashew cream has the same texture and consistency as ricotta. One thing to watch for that surprised me – some brands of no-boil lasagne noodles are egg-based. Check the label.
Katie
Oh. Wow. I made this for dinner tonight and it was *amazing*. I’ve wanted to try a vegan lasagna, but I kept putting it off because lasagna always seems like so much work. But this came together really easily and so, SO deliciously. That cashew cream is absolutely killer. This is definitely on my “go-to” list from now on. Thank you!
(Also my sister-in-law gave me your book a couple of years ago when I started shifting toward plant-based and it is still my favorite. ;-)
Kate
You’re welcome, Katie! Thank you for your review.
Julia Conley
Hi Kate could you share the brand and style of the ceramic dish you used to bake this lasagna ? It looks wonderful :)
Thanks, Julia
Kate
Hi Julia! It’s from Crate & Barrel.
Julia Conley
Thanks Kate! Your cookbook is my absolute favorite ! I’m not a seasoned cook but I do try to eat healthy and your recipes are all perfect for me! I’m looking forward to whatever comes next !
Thank you :) Julia
Dennis Rose
There are eggs in the oven ready pasta, hardly Vegan!
Kate
Hi Denise, thank you for your comment. You can find noddles that are vegan. I hope you are able to try it! Or, if you can’t find some that are no boil, use regular and follow the gluten free noodle notes.
Nancy Murphy
Are there any fresh herbs that would add something to this? We have some in the garden. Or to add to your marinara sauce recipe? thanks, can’t wait to make this when kids are home as they are all either vegan or vegetarian!
Kate
Hi! Basil would be delicious. I Hope you try it.
Valerie
This recipe was fantastic! Our family is a blend of meat-eaters, vegetarians and a vegan. Lasagna night involves making three versions because my daughter and I (the vegetarians) think vegan cheese is truly horrible. This cashew cream? Absolutely delicious!! I made as written with the exception of subbing out aged white wine vinegar for the ACV (I was out). Thanks for the great recipe! Happy to kick the vegetarian version I usually make out of the rotation :).
Kate
I’m glad it was a hit, Valerie! I appreciate your review.
Samantha M.
Hi there! I’m so excited to make this recipe. I accidentally soaked the cashews early. Do you think I can make just the cashew cheese and then finish making the lasagna two days from now? I would store in the fridge. Thank you!
Kate
Hi! The cheese can store in the fridge and the lasagna should still turn out. Sorry for my delay!
Samantha M.
That is exactly what I did and it turned out wonderfully! We will definitely be making this again!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Samantha!
Karen
My entire family ate this & asked for the recipe. I’ve never worked with cashews before & was pleased that I didn’t miss dairy. My DIL hates spinach but ate this because she couldn’t taste it.
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Karne.
Kim
Delicious! I stumbled on this recipe when searching for something to make for vegan friends. I rarely cook lasagna OR vegan, so I must admit I had some trepidation, but this was a total hit — everyone at the table raved. Like, repeatedly. I used store-bought cashew cream and assembled and refrigerated the lasagna the night before for less day-of entertaining prep, which worked out just fine.
Kate
That’s great, Kim! Thank you for sharing.
Bridget
I rarely comment, but I had to share that this is the best vegan dish I have ever made! I am a meat and cheese lover, and this tasted just as delicious as any traditional lasagna – if not better! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you did! Thank you for your review, Bridget.
Maya
Dying to try this out, but my husband is allergic to tree nuts :( I don’t suppose there is a sub for the cashews?
Kate
Hi! I don’t yet, sorry. I just can’t recreate the same cheese-like texture.
Annie
Not a mushroom fan, can you recommend a substitute for this recipe.
Kate
Hi Annie, you can add more of another vegetable you like. Let me know what you think!
Tisa
Hi Kate!
This lasagna is absolutely delicious! It is The best tasting lasagna i have ever tried. The only thing i did differently was to roast the veggies i used in the filling in the oven. I am planning on making it for Christmas dinner and i have a few questions for you. Can you make the veggie filling and cashew cream the day before and put it all together to bake the next day? I don’t want to compromise a thing!
Thanks in advance!
Tisa
Kate
Thank you! I’m so glad you loved it.
Donna
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is a huge hit with everyone (vegan and non). Can I make the cashew cream and the veggies a day or two in advance of assembling and baking the lasagna? Thank you for your help!
Kate
Hi! Sure you can try it. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Caroline D.
My husband was grumping about the lasagna not containing meat. Then he tasted it and proclaimed, “Stellar!” He withdrew his complaint. It’s a big win to find a vegetarian, never mind vegan recipe, that he likes. Will definitely be making this again. I used your homemade marinara sauce and one 28 oz. can of tomatoes made enough sauce for the lasagna. Used kitchen shears to cut the noodles to size after they were cooked. (I couldn’t find no-boil noodles.) Need to get a squeeze bottle so that the cashew cream will look more appealing. I drew bulbous lines of cream on top, but it all tasted great!
Kate
I’m glad it won him over! I appreciate your review.
Michelle Sullivan
I made this for Christmas yesterday and this, without exaggerating, was the best lasagna I’ve ever had. My husband kept talking about it, even when we were turning in for the night! I made just a couple of modifications and I’ll mention them in case someone is looking to do something similar.
Tips:
Soak cashews overnight
Good blender or food processor: I used our Magic Bullet blender and found it did a good job.
Use San Marzano canned tomatoes if you can find them – they are outstanding.
Blend the red sauce well
I added:
A couple of tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsely; some fresh, chopped basil; 2 cloves of chopped garlic, and pinch of salt to the cashew cream
1 bag of shredded mozarella. I only recommend if you have a good, vegan version that has taste rather than just melting. I like both Miyoko’s fresh mozarella or Follow Your Heart mozarella shreds. I added 3/4 bag to ricotta layers, then sprinkled the rest on top during the last 5 minutes of bake time.
I wanted some “beef”, so I omitted the vegetables and replaced with 12 oz impossible burger crumbled and cooked with chopped onions, garlic, pepper, and Italian seasoning. I made one layer with this, cheese, and sauce.
Honestly, the marinara and cheese make this lasagna – it has a ton of flavor and no liquid so you can follow the recipe or make modifications and I think it will be amazing either way.
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Cynthia Moody
I was so surprised how wonderful this lasagna is !! My son is now vegan and I made it for Christmas dinner, it was the best, honestly, so full of flavor, the only thing I did was not add the carrots. I will make this over and over, thank you so much for this great recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Cynthia!
Kim from Balto
OMG!!! I just finished making this and trying it out. I had to make myself stop eating it!!! I am not a vegetarian nor do I only eat vegan. I have been trying more plant based recipes. And this one is definitely a winner!!!!!!!! Give it a try! And thank you for sharing this Kate!!
Kate
I’m so glad to hear that, Kim!
Sharon
My husband and I have made this lasagna 3 times and every time it came out amazing!
So comforting and delicious, and the cream sauce gives it a cheesy feel and taste.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sharon! I’m glad you love it.
Carol K
Sounds yummy! But I’m allergic to cashews. I’m new to vegan cooking, hoping that you have thoughts regarding a substitute for the cashew cream.
Thank you!
Kate
Hi Carol! I don’t have a great substitute to get the same level of creaminess and cheese-like.
Celeste
This is so good. I LOVE cashew cream, it is much tastier than ricotta cheese! My husband also hates mushrooms and I’ve fooled him with this recipe and enchiladas. :) HAHA. He loves these. My son even likes this recipe, and he is a huge cheese fan. Thanks for this one!!
Eliza
Hey! Would it be possible to make this without psta noodles but instead zucchini slices?
Kate
Hi Eliza, I wouldn’t recommend it since zucchini tends to release a lot of water.
Leigh Houston
Delicious! We’re not mushroom fans so I used cauliflower. I roasted the veggies in the oven (not the spinach). Made a double recipe, even better on day 2!
Heather Ferguson
What do you suggest as a replacement if we have a kid with a severe cashew/tree nut allergy?
Kate
Hi Heather, I wish I had a great alternative. I don’t have one for this. Possibly a sunflower seed option could work, but I don’t know how it would work for this.
Michelle
What to say, where to begin? This recipe is… it’s everything. This is a hallmark, a signature dish, and a gateway drug to vegan eating, or at least it was for my husband and I. There are so many vegan ‘frankenfood’ complicated recipes out there with a million ingredients you can’t find that taste caustic and strange… This is just an absolute GEM. If you’re aiming to impress, MAKE THIS. It is SO GOOD.
I really love sauce, so I used an entire 8oz jar of Prego Traditional the first time, no regrets. I do (even with a convection oven) need to bake this a minimum of 40 minutes to get the noodles done, so just earmark the time.
I would also say if you’re forgetful like I am about soaking the cashews ahead of time, know that you can boil them for 15-20 min instead of soaking 4+hrs- I can’t tell the difference from one method to the other in terms of taste or consistency.
The note about not needing a high-speed or high-power blender is true- I have a 20 year old $10 walmart blender on its last legs and I was still able to make a really delicious cashew cream. SPEAKING OF WHICH.
After trying this recipe (as I said, gateway drug!) I delved into other recipes that also had cashew cream as a component and it took me months to understand why I was getting burnt out on it- you have the singularly BEST recipe for cashew cream. All others are inferior, chemical-gross, or some sort of weird frankenfood that tastes awful- this portion of your recipe is what I now use for all other recipes that call for cashew cream. I ignore their directions and follow this, because it is the best. And if a final product is the sum of its parts, you truly have amazing pieces of this recipe! Truly!
I’ll stop gushing, but I make this now about 3x a month, and this was the start for my household now eating vegan dinners at least 3x/wk. Phenomenal.
Kate
You are so kind! I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Thank you for your review!
Linda Hennessy
Hi, I must tell you I LOVE all your recipes! I am getting ready to make the Best Vegan Lasagne recipe and I want to make it in a 15×20 pan, so I want to DOUBLE the recipe. I am so confused because the scale that toggles from 1x to 2x recipe seems to have errors. From reading the notes, I don’t know how many cups to use for the cashew cream when doubling it (1 or 2)? Are the other amounts correct on the website when you choose “2x”. I noticed the veggie portions don’t change from 1x to 2x. Please help, thanks!
Kate
Hi, I’m sorry it’s having errors. Yes, you want to double everything.
Zoe Scoulos
Hello Kate,
I made this recipe using the easy vegan Parmesan cheese and the cashew cream. It’s extremely tasty and my daughter and her friends raved about it. I am sending your link to my sister who live in Greece to try it. I wonder though if the calories and fat are higher than using cheese. Do you have the calorie count on this recipe ?
Thank you so much
Zoe
Kate
Hi Zoe, the nutritional information is below the notes section. You need to click to expand. I’m delighted it was a hit!
Alicia
This was so delicious!! I’m not vegan but have a dairy allergy and neither my husband or I missed the cheese or meat. The cashew cream is perfect and the veggies were a wonderful combination! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe!
Kate
I’m glad it was perfect for you, Alicia!
Andrea
This vegan lasagna is delicious. Multiple people in our family cannot have dairy, so this recipe was a good option for me. As far as a vegan dish goes, this was awesome and I will recommend it over and over. However, my “meat loving husband” was not satisfied with the lack of meat like other reviewers said of their husbands. I will definitely use the cashew cream as a sub for ricotta and the hemp heart “parmesan,” but I think I will make a normal meat sauce since we aren’t vegan. If it were just me I would totally eat this every time. I’m definitely enjoying the leftovers:-)
Kate
I’m excited it was a hit, Andrea! Thank you or sharing.
Maia
This was very nice and so full of colour and healthy veg. Even though I forgot to make the sauce and used plain crushed tomatoes it was still delicious with the cashew cream cheesy sauce. I will definitely make it again. I want to make it properly next time and probably will add the kick as well.
jessi
I plan to make this for a vegan friend and I’m wondering how many times the recipe I need to fill a 9×13 pan? If I go by math one and a half times is closest, but I wonder if doubling it would fit?
Kate
Hi! I would see if a 9×13 would work checking the comments. I haven’t tried it so can’t say for sure.
Bella
I made this lasagne with all of my leftovers in the vegetable drawer- carrots, onions, celery, garlic, red pepper, leek and kale. I love your recipes, but this one is definitely one of the best!
Kate
Thank you, Bella!
Hannah
My boyfriend (who is not vegan) took one bite and said “I’m not generally a lasagna guy but I can say this is the best lasagna I’ve ever had.” Will be making again for an upcoming family dinner! Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Hannah!