Vegan Vegetable Lasagna (Gluten-Free, Oil-Free)

This Vegan Vegetable Lasagna is layered with gluten-free noodles, homemade almond ricotta, tomato sauce, spinach, broccoli, eggplant, and carrots. It’s hearty, satisfying, and perfect for special occasions!

If you have a family member that’s not totally down with plant-based food and just can’t wrap their head around the idea of non-dairy cheese, this recipe is exactly what you need.

For me, that person is my half-Italian father, the one who taught me how to cook lots of cheese-laden pasta dishes.

So, when I first made this vegan lasagna recipe as part of a holiday dinner spread, he was skeptical of tasting something containing a cheese made from…gasp…nuts!

The look of confusion on his face was priceless.

I think he thought I was NUTS!

But as the evening progressed, and everyone started taking seconds, my daughter noticed something odd about my father’s plate and she totally called him out on it.

Well, it turned out that he hid more lasagna underneath his other food thinking no one would notice.

Getting my dad to eat something made with vegan cheese on purpose is one of my biggest accomplishments.

With that being said, this recipe is a must-try for the whole family, even the dairy loving skeptics.

Ingredient Notes

• Lasagna Noodles: I used no-boil, oven-ready, gluten-free lasagna sheets (the flat ones). I recommend the Whole Foods 365 brand or the ones by Chickapea. Barilla also makes a gluten-free, flat oven-ready noodle.
• Eggplant: Feel free to replace the eggplant with zucchini if you prefer.
• Broccoli: I used fresh broccoli florets, but you can use frozen ones instead. Just be sure to thaw them first before chopping and cooking.
• Spinach: I used fresh baby spinach. You can use frozen chopped spinach in place of the fresh; however, you will need less frozen than fresh because the frozen is typically blanched before being flash frozen. Use 3 ounces frozen instead of 5 ounces fresh. Be sure to thaw completely and squeeze out any excess water before using. You can add all of it at once instead of in batches since it has already been wilted. Cook until the moisture has evaporated.
• Sauce: I used canned tomato sauce, but you can use jarred instead if you’d like. Note that most jarred sauces contain oil, but you may be able to find one that does not. For example, the Simply Nature marinara at Aldi does not have oil nor does the 365 fat free marinara at Whole Foods. If you are not avoiding oil, you can use a jarred sauce that contains oil.
• Vegan Ricotta: I used a batch of my almond ricotta, but if you need this recipe to be nut-free, try this tofu ricotta instead.

Sautéing the Veggies

To keep this dish oil-free, I cooked the veggies in vegetable broth. You can use regular or low-sodium if preferred.

Start with the carrots, and then add the eggplant and broccoli.

Add the spinach last, a little at a time, until wilted.

Assembling the Lasagna

Line the bottom of your casserole dish with tomato sauce. Then, add four lasagna sheets. A little overlapping is OK, but not too much or the noodles won’t cook properly.

Spread half of the almond ricotta mixture onto the four lasagna sheets.

Top with the sauteed veggies, followed by more tomato sauce.

Repeat the process with a second layer of lasagna sheets, almond ricotta, veggies, and sauce. Then, cover with the last four lasagna sheets and top with more sauce.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375°F oven for 35 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Garnish as desired.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skimp on the sauce! Be sure to fully coat the bottom of your baking dish or the noodles can stick to it. Also, ensure that ALL parts of the noodles are covered in sauce and that none are left exposed. Doing so will prevent the pasta from drying out and hardening during cooking.
• Don’t remove the foil too soon. When uncovered, the sauce will start drying out. We want to get rid of some of the excess moisture from the sauce which is why the foil is removed for the last 10 minutes. However, if you leave the foil cover off for too long, the noodles will start drying out and harden.
• Want to prep in advance? You can make the ricotta and veggies ahead of time and store them in two separate airtight containers in the fridge until ready to use. You can also prepare the lasagna in the morning, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove the lasagna and leave out at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before baking.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place the portion(s) in a tomato-sauce lined baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 375° F until warmed throughout.

You can also microwave an individual portion with a little more sauce on top if needed. Place a piece of lasagna on a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave for 1 minute, followed by 30-second intervals, until thoroughly heated.

Serving Suggestions

I like to garnish the lasagna with fresh basil and dairy-free Parmesan cheese. To keep it oil-free, you can buy a cashew-based vegan Parmesan or make your own by blending nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt in a food chopper or coffee grinder.

Enjoy a slice on its own or with a simple side salad.

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