Vegan Spinach Lasagna

Vegan spinach lasagna! The perfect comfort food dinner for any day of the year. Easy to make with just a handful of ingredients!

This vegan spinach lasagna has layers over layers of flavor and texture for a delicious family-style meal that tastes like Italy. It’s cheesy, comforting and immensely satisfying.

To think it’s made without dairy or eggs is already exciting, but using gluten-free lasagna sheets takes this beautiful casserole to another level.

It’s a cheesy lasagna everyone will enjoy!

Key tips to follow

1. Make sure your gluten-free lasagna noodles are also vegan. They’re often made with rice flour but some may contain eggs. Check the ingredients carefully.

2. If using fresh spinach, wilt in a hot pan. This help to reduce some of the liquid that could make the lasagna too watery.

Ingredient Notes

• Fresh spinach – Any leftovers can be used in this Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta or this Vegan One Pot Pasta.
• Gluten-free oven-ready lasagna noodles – I used Barilla, which is also naturally vegan. Another brand is Le Veneziane.
• Pasta sauce – Store-bought or homemade
• Vegan mozzarella – I used Violife. It comes pre-shredded so even more convenient.
• Vegan butter or olive oil

Tofu Ricotta:

• Extra-firm tofu – has the best consistency for dairy-free ricotta. Firm tofu will work as well.
• Nutritional yeast – adds a “cheesy” flavor
• Lemon – enhances the cheesy flavor by adding a bit of tanginess. You could also try vegan lactic acid, especially if you make vegan cheese recipes often.
  
  I’ve used it in recipes such as Vegan Mac and Cheese, Vegan Fettucine Alfredo and Vegan Hamburger Helper for that sharp, cheddar-like flavor.
• Garlic cloves
• Salt and Black pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the fresh spinach:
1. Add enough fresh spinach to fill a large pot. Place the pot over medium heat and cook the spinach stirring constantly.

2. As it begins to lose moisture and wilt, add more spinach to fill the pot.

3. Repeat these steps until all the spinach has wilted and most of the moisture has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and cool.

Tofu ricotta:
1. Break the tofu into chunks and add to the food processor along with the remaining ingredients.

2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

3. Combine the tofu ricotta with the spinach. It may be added to the pot or combined in a large bowl.

Assembly:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F(180°C).

2. Brush the inside of the casserole dish with olive oil or vegan butter. Add in 1 cup of pasta sauce and spread evenly.

3. Add 4 lasagna sheets, slightly overlapping.

4. Top with ⅓ of the spinach-ricotta mix and spread evenly. Add a handful of vegan mozzarella.

5. Add about ½ cup of pasta sauce and spread evenly.

6. Add another layer of lasagna sheets.

7. Repeat the steps with 3 more layers of lasagna.

8. After adding the last lasagna layer, top with the remaining pasta sauce, vegan mozzarella and black pepper.

Bake:

1. If possible, place the dish on a baking tray for easier removal and clean up, just in case there are spills.

2. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for 45 minutes.

3. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

4. Rest for at least 30 minutes for easier cutting and serving.

Other Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Consider substituting the spinach for another nutritious leafy green, including kale.

• For a tofu-free alternative, try almond ricotta from my Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe. You can also use cashews.

• If you don’t have no-boil noodles available, use regular dried lasagna sheets. Cook as directed on the package before layering.

• Try this Vegan Sausage-Lentil Lasagna recipe for a “meatier” alternative.

Storage Suggestions

There are two reasons to store a perfectly good tray of lasagna. One, if you’re preparing it for future enjoyment, and two, if you have leftovers.

To store a whole lasagna, first, cover and wait until it has cooled down to room temperature. Cover the entire pan with cling film and add extra protection with aluminum foil.

You can then freeze it to enjoy in the next three months or refrigerate for 3-5 days.

If you have leftovers, do the same thing as above, but slice and transfer to smaller containers. Make sure the containers are air-tight to prevent the lasagna from drying out.

How to Reheat

Reheating a slice of leftover lasagna is as easy as microwaving it. If it’s too dry, place the slice in a microwave-safe container filled with a spoonful or two of water.

Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on high, letting the steam and moisture work their magic.

To reheat an entire tray of lasagna, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake it uncovered between 10-15 minutes.

It’s a perfect time to top it with some more vegan cheese if needed. If it’s too dry, top with a few teaspoons of water.

More Vegan Pasta Bake Recipes:

• Vegan Cannelloni
• Vegan Pastitsio
• Vegan Loaf Pan Lasagna
• Vegan Semolina Gnocchi