If you're looking for the ultimate vegan comfort food, this homemade vegan lasagna is hard to beat. It combines a rich tomato and lentil ragù with my creamy vegan bechamel sauce for perfectly layered slices that are hearty, cheesy, just like traditional lasagna.
With my partner's Italian heritage, there was definitely a little extra pressure to get this recipe right! After lots of recipe testing and taste-testing together, I can honestly say this one has earned its place in our regular dinner rotation.
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🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make the best vegan lasagna recipe. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Vegan meat alternative: I like using a plant-based mince for a hearty, meaty texture, but you can swap it for smashed vegan burgers, extra lentils, or crumbled tofu if preferred.
Cooked lentils: Lentils add extra protein, fiber, and richness to the filling while stretching it further. Green or brown lentils work best as they hold their shape well.
Red wine: Adds depth and richness to the tomato sauce. If you prefer to cook without wine, simply replace it with vegetable stock.
White miso paste: A small amount adds a subtle umami flavor, making the sauce taste richer and more complex without overpowering the tomatoes.
Lasagna sheets: Aka lasagna noodles. Both regular and oven-ready lasagna sheets work well. Just make sure each layer is fully covered with sauce so the pasta cooks evenly.
Vegan béchamel: The creamy white sauce balances the rich tomato filling and creates those classic lasagna layers. You can make it ahead of time and gently reheat it if needed before assembling.
Vegan parmesan: Sprinkled between the layers and on top, it adds a savory, cheesy finish and helps create a beautifully golden crust.
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📷 Step-By-Step Images & Recipe Tips
Here's a visual overview of this meatless lasagna. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
Start by making the marinara sauce base. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrot until softened and fragrant. Taking a few extra minutes here helps build a sweeter, more flavorful base for the sauce.
Once the vegetables are tender, add the wine and let it reduce before stirring in the remaining sauce ingredients. Reducing the wine first cooks off the alcohol and concentrates its rich flavor.
Blending the sauce might seem like an extra step, but it's what gives this lasagna its silky, restaurant-style texture while still packing in plenty of vegetables. Once smooth, stir it into the browned vegan mince and lentils, then let everything simmer together until the flavors meld beautifully.
When assembling the lasagna, start with a thin layer of sauce to prevent the pasta from sticking to the dish. Spread each layer evenly, making sure the pasta is completely covered with sauce and béchamel to help it cook through and stay tender.
A light sprinkle of vegan parmesan between some of the layers adds extra richness and creates pockets of cheesy flavor throughout.
Finish with a generous layer of béchamel and the remaining vegan parmesan for a beautifully golden top.
Let the lasagna rest for at least 15-20 minutes after baking before slicing. This gives the layers time to set, making it much easier to serve neat portions while allowing the flavors to develop even further.
🎛️ Storage and Reheating
Store leftover vegan lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop as it rests, making it just as delicious, if not better, the next day.
To reheat, cover the lasagna with foil and warm it in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stopping halfway to ensure even heating.
Δ Variations
This vegan lasagna is easy to customize depending on what you have on hand or the flavors you're craving.
- Add vegan ricotta: For an even creamier, more traditional lasagna, add dollops of my homemade vegan ricotta between the layers along with the béchamel. It adds a delicious cheesy flavor and extra richness.
- Extra vegetables: Stir chopped mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, eggplant, or roasted peppers into the tomato sauce for even more veggies and flavor.
- Spinach ricotta lasagna: Swap some of the tomato filling for a mixture of vegan ricotta and wilted spinach for a lighter, veggie-packed variation.
- Mushroom lasagna: Replace the vegan mince with finely chopped mushrooms for a rich, savory mushroom ragù that's just as satisfying.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free lasagna sheets and prepare the vegan béchamel with gluten-free flour.
- Extra cheesy: Sprinkle shredded vegan mozzarella between the layers or over the top before baking for an extra gooey finish.
💬 FAQs
Yes! You can assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. You may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time if it's going straight from the fridge to the oven.
Absolutely. Freeze the baked or unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating for the best texture.
Resting the lasagna for 15-20 minutes allows the layers to firm up, making it much easier to slice and serve while preventing the filling from spilling out.
🍝 More Vegan Main Meals
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 180 ml (¾ cup) red wine
- 780 g tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon miso paste optional
- 200 g (7 oz) vegan ground meat (mince) *note 1
- 400 g (14 oz) brown lentils cooked and rinsed
- 2 teaspoon italian seasoning or mixed dried herbs
- 480 g (2 cups) vegan bechamel
- 16 lasagna sheets
- 100 g (3.5 oz) vegan parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F), or 180°C (356°F) fan-forced.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the carrot and for another 3 minutes until softened.
- Make the sauce: Add the red wine to the vegetables and cook for about 3 minutes, or until it has reduced slightly. Stir in the tomato sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, agave, salt, pepper, and miso, and cook for 1 minute, stirring well to combine.
- Blend: Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Cook the mince: Meanwhile, heat a little more olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the vegan ground meat and lentils, and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and heated through. Pour in the sauce and the Italian seasoning and combine.
- Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the base of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with a single layer of lasagna sheets, followed by more tomato sauce and an even layer of vegan béchamel.
- Layer the lasagna: Repeat the layers of pasta, tomato sauce, and béchamel. After the second layer of béchamel, sprinkle over a thin layer of vegan parmesan. Continue layering until all of the ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of béchamel and the remaining vegan parmesan on top.
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and bubbling around the edges.
Notes
- Vegan ground meat: Swap this for extra lentils, crumbled tofu, or smashed vegan burgers if needed.
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