Creamy Vegan Lasagna Soup

This insanely delicious vegan lasagna soup recipe is packed with vegetables, beans, tender lasagna noodles, and a delicious sunflower cream broth! It's gluten-free, oil-free, and ready to eat in 1 hour. Slow cooker instructions are also included.

This lasagna soup is rich, decadent, and loaded with beans and vegetables! Believe it or not, but the creamy broth is made of blended sunflower seeds! Would you ever guess that blended sunflower seeds make a delicious and thick sunflower cream sauce that can be used to replicate heavy cream? It's the perfect vegan replacement!

While I absolutely love creamy cashew-based recipes like vegan spinach artichoke dip or vegan stuffed shells, raw sunflower seeds are less expensive, more accessible, and using them makes the dish nut-free. This soup is easy to make in one hour, it's freezer-friendly, and it's naturally gluten-free and oil-free!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This lasagna soup is made with a combination of fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables, and pantry ingredients. Let's go over the ingredients and substitutions if you need it.

• Onion - I used a yellow onion, but you can use also red or sweet onions. Shallots would also be delicious.
• Garlic - Fresh garlic adds lots of flavor, but you could also use 1 teaspoon of dried garlic.
• Dried Seasonings - Italian seasonings, chili pepper flakes, salt, and pepper add so much flavor to the soup.
• Vegetables - I used a delicious combination of zucchini, mushrooms, and artichokes, in this soup. You could replace any of these veggies with yellow squash, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli florets, or diced red bell peppers if necessary. Fresh or frozen veggies can be used.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes - This ingredient adds so much flavor!
• Beans - Beans add extra plant-based protein to this dish. I used great northern beans because of their color and texture, they're so creamy and buttery! You could also use green, brown, or red lentils.
• Broth - You can use vegetable broth or mushroom broth for the soup.
• Spinach - Spinach adds a pop of color to the soup. You could also use kale.
• Lemon - Lemon cuts through the creaminess of the broth and brightens it perfectly.
• Lasagna Sheets: To keep this recipe gluten-free, I used gluten-free brown rice lasagna noodles. However, you can use any kind of lasagna that you like or any type of pasta is fine too. Bowties would be my next noodle-shape choice because they have a ruffled edge just like lasagna sheets do. It's best to cook the lasagna pieces in a separate pot so they don't absorb all of the broth in the soup.
• Sunflower Seeds: The seeds are definitely the most important ingredient in this recipe because it's what makes the broth taste so rich and creamy! If you need a substitute, you can use raw cashews. 

How to Make It

First, boil the raw sunflower seeds in water for 10 minutes and then blend the softened seeds with fresh water to make the sunflower cream (Photo 1). Set it aside until later. Next, saute onions in a large pot until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and dried seasonings and let it cook for a few minutes to toast the spices (Photo 2).

Add the zucchini, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pot and saute for 15 minutes (Photo 3). Stir in the beans, vegetable broth, and sunflower cream (Photo 4) and let it cook until the vegetables are tender (Photo 5). While the veggies are cooking, break and boil the lasagna sheets in a separate pot. Lastly, add the frozen spinach and lemon juice to the pot (Photo 6).  

Slow Cooker Instructions

You can also make this creamy lasagna soup in the slow cooker. First, make the sunflower cream. Then combine all of the ingredients except for spinach, lemon juice, and lasagna pieces in a large slow cooker.

Cover and set it to cook for 4 hours on High. After 4 hours, take the lid off, stir in the frozen spinach and lemon juice, and let it cook until the spinach is fully defrosted. Cook the lasagna sheets separately and then add them to each bowl before serving.

What Goes With It

Since this is a neutral-colored dish, I like to serve it with a colorful side dish for a pop of color. A couple of slices of crusty slices of bread would be delicious for dipping too. Any of the following side dish recipes would be good options to try.

• Lemon Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
• Salad with Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Recipe Variations

• Vegan Meat - You could add cooked impossible meat crumbles or vegan sausage slices.
• Red Sauce - Instead of the sunflower white cream sauce, you could use a jar of marinara sauce.
• Fresh Herbs - Finish the soup with a handful of thinly sliced fresh basil for a huge burst of flavor.

How To Store It

Store the leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or you can freeze it for 2-3 months. I recommend freezing the soup by itself and then you can make fresh lasagna noodles to go with it when you reheat it.

When you're ready to eat it, take the container out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. The broth may separate a little bit, but just give it a good stir when you warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop and it will be nice and creamy again. In a separate pot, cook the lasagna pieces and add them to each bowl. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Success Tips

• It's important to boil the sunflower seeds to soften them so they're easier to blend and easier to digest.
• Keep blending the cream sauce until it is super smooth and creamy. If it's grainy, keep blending until it's smooth.
• After you drain the canned artichokes, gently squeeze each artichoke over the sink to get rid of any excess brine that's hiding in the layers. 
• Cook the lasagna pieces in a separate pot so they don't absorb all of the broth in the soup. 
• Chili pepper flakes add flavor and a little heat, start with ¼ tsp and add more to taste. I like to add a little bit more at the end for extra zing.

Want More Vegan Soup Recipes? 

• Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Vegan Lemon Vegetable Orzo Soup
• Vegan Mushroom Barley Bok Choy Soup
• Vegan Stuffed Pepper Lentil Soup
• Vegan Wild Rice Soup