Are you craving comfort food? This incredibly creamy vegan lasagna features layers of savory spinach artichoke dip, flavorful tomato sauce, roasted garlic mushrooms, and perfectly cooked (gluten-free) no-boil lasagna noodles. This easy to make family-friendly recipe is a winner!
This vegan lasagna recipe is unique because every layer is filled with the most delicious and creamy vegan spinach artichoke dip! I really love the flavor combination of the creamy spinach and artichoke dip blended with the tomato sauce and the roasted mushrooms. After you have one bite you won't be able to stop!
The spinach dip makes the perfect filling and it's so tasty that I also use it as a filling for stuffed shells. I highly recommend that you give that recipe a try after you make this easy vegan lasagna recipe. I think you'll love both recipes as much as I do! This family-friendly recipe is definitely a crowd-pleaser, it's easy to make, and it makes a large casserole so you won't have to cook dinner again for a few days!
What Type of Lasagna Noodles Should I Use?
I used these (high-protein) no-boil gluten-free chickpea lasagna noodles because I think that chickpea noodles have the best pasta-like consistency of all the gluten-free pasta. If you're not gluten-free, I also like these whole grain vegan lasagna sheets.
Do I Have to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce?
No, you don't have to make it from scratch, store-bought is 100% fine to use. I usually use a jarred sauce to save time. I know that two jars seem like a lot of sauce, but it's necessary for the no-boil lasagna noodles to have enough liquid to absorb so they will soften while the casserole cooks.
If you want to make it homemade, this is how I make it:
- Dice one medium red onion and saute it in 3-4 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth in a large pan over medium heat until it's translucent, for about 10 minutes.
- Add four cloves of minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add more broth if the pan is getting dry.
- Add (2) 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes to the pan, 1 cup of fresh basil (or 1 tbsp dried basil), 1 tbsp of maple syrup, ¼ tsp salt (more to taste), and stir to combine. Bring it to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 25-30 minutes.
Step by Step Instructions
First, you need to make the vegan spinach dip and roast the mushrooms.
In a large casserole dish, add one cup of tomato sauce and spread it around to evenly cover the bottom of the dish. Reserve one cup of sauce to top the casserole with at the end.
Arrange 4 noodles on top of the sauce and then add a layer of the artichoke dip and then follow that with a layer of roasted sliced mushrooms.
If your noodles are cracked or if there are any gaps on the side, you can piece together broken noodles to fill in the gaps. Once cooked, you'll never be able to tell that the pasta was broken in the first place.
Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients. Pour one cup of sauce (that you reserved earlier) over the top and spread it out evenly.
(Optional) Lastly, sprinkle vegan shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. You could also reserve a little bit of the spinach dip and put a few dollops on top of the sauce and swirl it around if you want a topping without using vegan cheese.
Cover with parchment paper and then put it in the oven to bake. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to let it cool before you slice it. Garnish with dried parsley.
What Goes With it?
I usually like to make a big salad and a tray of roasted vegetables to go with the vegan lasagna. Here are some of my favorite side dish options:
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Asparagus
- Avocado Arugula Cherry Tomato Salad
- Zucchini Tomato Pesto Bake
- Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Can I Make it in Advance?
Yes, you can assemble it 24 hours in advance, but make sure to cover it tightly so it's not exposed to the air and then store it in the fridge. When you're ready to cook it, replace the lid with parchment paper or foil and bake it for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Can I Freeze It?
You can freeze leftover pieces of lasagna in freezer-safe containers for 3-4 months. 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. Then you can reheat it in the oven or warm it up in the microwave.
If you want to freeze it whole, I recommend assembling it, covering it so it's airtight, and then freezing it without baking it first. You will need to let it defrost for 24 hours in the fridge and then you can bake it at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
You can freeze a whole vegan lasagna after you cook it but make sure you let it cool completely first and cover it tightly. When you reheat it, the consistency of the pasta will be a bit softer because it's already been cooked once before.
Substitutions & FAQ
- Gluten-Free: The recipe is only gluten-free if you use gluten-free noodles. I used these Banza chickpea lasagna noodles, they're delicious and taste just like flour pasta! You could also use brown rice pasta.
- Oil-Free: This recipe can be oil-free if you use sauce that doesn't have any oil in it. You will also need to omit the cheese shreds on top because most store-bought vegan cheeses contain oil. The spinach dip is naturally oil-free.
- Tomato Sauce: You can use store-bought jarred sauce or make your own if you prefer. I included the instructions above for both options.
- Substitute for Cashews: I haven't tested it yet, but I often substitute cooked cauliflower for cashews if I don't have them on a hand for a recipe. The spinach dip won't be as creamy but it will still be very delicious.
- Can I Make Lasagna Without Noodles? Yes, you can. If you want to make this recipe without pasta, you can substitute thinly sliced zucchini, eggplant, or sweet potatoes. Also, you will only need one jar of sauce because the vegetable layers won't be able to absorb as much of the liquid.
Success Tips
- If you don't want to use no-boil noodles, add a little bit of oil to the noodles after you cook them and drain the water. If you don't, the pasta will get very sticky and be nearly impossible to pull apart without tearing.
- Make sure to add one cup of tomato sauce to every layer with the pasta. The no-boil noodles need the extra liquid to absorb so they can soften while the lasagna cooks.
- I know that two jars of tomato sauce seems excessive, but trust me, the pasta will soak it all up and the lasagna will not be soupy.
- Roast the mushrooms first before putting them in the lasagna so they have more flavor.
- Cover the lasagna with parchment paper or foil while it's baking so it doesn't dry out.
- Once the lasagna has finished baking, let it set up for 10-15 minutes. It will be easier to cut into pieces when it's not boiling hot. If you try to cut it when it first comes out of the oven, it will turn into a pile of pasta rather than a slice with lots of layers.
Want More Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes?
20-Minute Savory Pumpkin Pasta
15-Minute Pistachio Pesto Pasta
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
Equipment
- 9x13 Casserole Dish
- Large Pan
- Blender
Ingredients
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- (2) 8 oz packages baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- (2) 25 oz jars tomato sauce
- (2) 9 oz boxes lasagna noodles (I used gluten-free chickpea noodles)
- ½ cup vegan mozzarella shreds (I used Violife mozzarella shreds)
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice the mushrooms and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Sprinkle 1 tsp of garlic powder over the mushrooms, toss to coat each mushroom, and then roast the mushrooms for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, make the spinach artichoke dip.
- In a large 9x13 casserole dish, add 1 cup of tomato sauce and spread it around to coat the bottom evenly. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for the top layer of the lasagna.
- Arrange 3-4 lasagna (depending on how wide they are) noodles on top of the sauce. If there are any gaps on the side, it's ok to break a few noodles to fill in the gaps.
- Next, add a layer of spinach artichoke dip and a layer of roasted mushrooms. Repeat these 4 layers until you run out of ingredients. Top the lasagna with the remaining 1 cup of tomato sauce that you reserved earlier. If you want, you can sprinkle vegan shredded cheese or a few spoonfuls of spinach dip on top, but it's not necessary.
- Increase the oven heat to 375 degrees. Cover the lasagna with parchment paper or foil and then bake it for 45 minutes. Remove the covering during the last 5 minutes to make sure the cheese shreds melt completely.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it set up and cool for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with dried parsley.
Notes
- Make sure to add one cup of sauce to every layer with the pasta. The no-boil noodles need the extra liquid to absorb so they can soften while the lasagna cooks.
- I know that two jars of sauce seems excessive, but trust me, the pasta will soak it all up and the lasagna will not be soupy.
- Roast the mushrooms first before putting them in the lasagna so they have more flavor.
- Cover the lasagna with parchment paper or foil while it's baking so it doesn't dry out.
- Once the lasagna has finished baking, let it set up for 10-15 minutes. It will be easier to cut into pieces when it's not boiling hot. If you try to cut it when it first comes out of the oven, it will turn into a pile of pasta rather than a slice with lots of layers.
Nutrition
*This vegan lasagna recipe was originally posted on 10/14/18, but I updated it with better recipe instruction on 7/27/20.
