Best Vegan Lasagna Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I substitute for meat in lasagna? ›

A: For the meaty ragu, vegan lasagnas can be made with a vegan meat alternative or simply with finely minced mushrooms and lentils. Crumbled tempeh works great too! For the creamy white sauce, the milk and butter can be replaced for non-dairy alternatives. Try soy milk and vegan butter instead.

For this recipe, we help reduce excess moisture by using no-boil noodles, cooking the mushrooms, onion and bell peppers before adding them to the lasagna, and squeezing the liquid out of the cooked spinach with a kitchen towel. You want your veggies as dry as possible so you are not adding more moisture than necessary.

Too much between one layer and another will keep you from ever getting a perfect slice. Too little and all you'll taste is pasta. Do not put large pieces of vegetables or meat in lasagna for the same reason as above. To get a perfect lasagna, the filling should be finely sliced or even creamy.

A helpful technique can prevent this pitfall from sabotaging your lasagna: Reduce your sauce to thicken it before pouring it into the casserole. A thin sauce runs right off of cooked lasagna noodles, causing all the layers to slide off of each other, as well.

In southern Italy lasagna is generally made with dried sheets of pasta layered with rich meat ragú, ricotta and mozzarella. In the north, especially in Bologna, the most popular version of lasagna features fresh egg pasta colored green with spinach and layered with ragú, bechamel and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Firm tofu is a great option for egg-free cooking, and works best in savoury dishes such as eggless quiches, lasagne, vegan egg salad, or a breakfast scramble. A quarter cup of pureed silken tofu can be used to replace one egg. Tofu is generally available at grocery stores.

Leftover vegetarian lasagna keeps well in an airtight container or covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or a 350°F oven. To freeze vegetable lasagna: Assemble the lasagna in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Eggplant won't absorb as much liquid as traditional lasagna noodles do (especially the no-boil noodles that I love), so sometimes eggplant lasagna will turn out a little more watery than a regular version. You can make the eggplant less soggy with these tips: Roast the eggplant first.

Spinach lasagna may be watery if the spinach releases excess moisture during baking. To prevent this, use pre-cooked or well-drained spinach. Additionally, avoid overloading the lasagna with too much sauce, and allow it to rest after baking to firm up.

Should I bake lasagna in glass or metal? ›

Acidic ingredients like tomatoes and citrus can react with aluminum (the most common metal used in bakeware), creating a metallic taste in your food. This is why lasagna and other casseroles with acidic ingredients are often baked in glass.

Some acidic bakes (like fruit cobblers) and lasagna or casserole (containing tomatoes, citrus, or other acidic fruit) may bake best in a glass dish, to prevent the metal from reacting to the acidic ingredients.

You can make it ahead.

The lasagna needs at least 5 hours to chill and let the sauce soften the noodles, but you can definitely make it the night before (even 3 days before) and bake it when you need it. Want your own freezer lasagna? Wrap it up in foil once you assemble it, no need to bake it beforehand.

Then repeat the layers. Top the last layer of your lasagna with sauce and cheese. You can also alternate layers of sauce and ricotta cheese. Most lasagna recipes have two to three layers.

Pro Tip: There's nothing worse than having the top portion of cheese stuck to the foil. To prevent this, I poke 8-10 toothpicks evenly around the top of the lasagna, pushing them in halfway to keep the foil from touching the cheese. Just be sure to count and remove every toothpick prior to serving.

There are many traditional lasagne pasta bakes, some require meat and some don't. Lasagne alla modenese are made with green pasta (it includes some very finely minced spinaches in the dough) and a ragù made with minced meat. Neapolitan lasagne di carnevale include tiny meatballs.

Lentils:Protein-Packed: Cooked lentils provide a nutritious and filling alternative. Versatility: Absorb flavors well, complementing the sauce. 🌱💪 Beyond Meat or Tofu:Plant-Based Options: Beyond Meat or crumbled tofu offer a protein substitute.

Cooked legumes such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils can be swapped for a lot of ground beef recipes. Buying canned or dried beans instead of meat can also save you money. In addition to protein, beans, and legumes are packed with health-beneficial fiber, vitamins, and minerals.