Vegan Lasagna

This easy Vegan Lasagna recipe is a plant-based twist on an Italian-inspired classic. So easy and delicious, it is sure to please the whole family.

You can use store-bought pasta sauce or Homemade Garden Veggie Sauce for the layers in this recipe. 

For more Italian-inspired vegan recipes, try this Vegan Lasagna Soup, Vegan Italian Wedding Soup, Stuffed Zucchini Boats, or add Italian flavors to any dish with this Homemade Italian Herb Mix. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple – This vegan lasagna comes together with simple ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep.
• High protein – Made with seitan instead of ground beef, this vegan lasagna is packed with 15 grams of plant-based protein per serving. 
• No Tofu – So many vegan versions of lasagna use tofu, and while I’m sure they are delicious, we have a soy allergy in our house, so tofu is not always on the menu. This easy lasagna recipe uses no legumes, tree nuts or peanuts, making it a great option for allergy-friendly meals.

Ingredients

• No-boil noodles – You can use regular noodles and boil them before hand, but the no-boil version cuts down on prep time.
• Pasta sauce – You’ll use a full jar for this recipe, so choose any kind you like. Marinara sauce or tomato basil are great choices. 
• Seitan crumbles – This is the bulk of the protein for this recipe, but seitan does contain gluten. So if you are looking to making this a gluten-free lasagna you can sub the seitan for lentils or white beans or even meat if you aren’t vegan.
• Zucchini and yellow squash – You can use two zucchini or two yellow squash instead of one of each if you prefer.
• Shallot – adds some extra flavor.
• Vegan mozzarella cheese & vegan parmesan cheese – Any brand of vegan cheese works, just make sure to read ingredients if you are trying to avoid specific allergens. This replaces the vegan ricotta cheese.
• Spices – Italian Herb Mix is best here, or just oregano, parsley, basil if you have those.
• Optional: Olive oil for sauteing the veggies.

Equipment

In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Large skillet
• 9 x 13 baking dish
• Aluminum foil

How to Make Dairy-Free Lasagna

This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe, including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Next, coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with a thin, even layer of pasta sauce. This prevents the noodles from sticking to the dish and makes for easier slicing.

Wash and chop all veggies and toss them into a large sauté pan with a bit of olive oil. Cook the veggies over medium-high heat until they begin to soften. Then add in one package of seitan crumbles and mix. Sauté for 5 more minutes.

Add in rest of sauce and bring to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Once this has simmered 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

Next, begin layering your lasagna. On top of the thin layer of sauce already in place, place a thin layer of lasagna noodles. If you are using no-boil lasagna noodles, you will place them in dry. If you are using traditional lasagna noodles, you will want to boil them in a large pot of water until al dente before layering.

Next, layer the veggie/seitan/sauce mixture. Top this with cheese. Repeat these layers until you have reached the top of your lasagna dish. The last layer of noodles should be topped with a a thin layer of sauce and then a generous layer of vegan cheese. Add more Italian spices on top.

Cover the baking dish with tented aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes. The lasagna is done when the sauce is bubbling along the sides of the dish.

Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Top with fresh basil or oregano. Serve and enjoy!

Variations

• If you cannot find flavored seitan, use traditional seitan and flavor it with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian spices. 
• Use crumbled vegan Italian sausage instead of seitan.
• Mixed in chopped spinach, bell peppers, or mushrooms in addition to or instead of the squash in this recipe. 
• Swap the tomato sauce for a different vegan sauce like alfredo for an extra creamy lasagna. 

How to Store

• Fridge: Leftovers will last up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container. Using a lasagna dish with a lid makes this super easy.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 6 months in smaller portions for easier reheating.

More Tips for Making Vegan Lasagna

• Not Vegan? Use ground meat instead of seitan, or use dairy cheese instead of vegan cheese.
• Gluten-free? Use gluten-free noodles and sub the seitan for a GF option like lentils.
• Oil-free? Dairy-free cheeses typically contain oil, and it would be difficult to swap those out in this recipe. If you want to swap for nutritional yeast, you can, but expect it to be less cheesy.

FAQ