Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta

This cozy, skillet-style lasagna is everything you want from a weeknight meal: rich tomatoey sauce, tender noodles, a creamy almond ricotta, and verdant bites of spinach walnut pesto. It’s made in one pan (with a quick blender step for the ricotta and pesto), so cleanup is easy and dinner comes together fast. The flavors are bright and layered — garlicky tomato sauce, earthy lentils and walnuts, bright lemon in the ricotta — and it stands up beautifully to a crisp green salad or a simple side of roasted vegetables.

Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta blends pantry-friendly ingredients with fresh herbs and olive oil to create a satisfying, plant-powered comfort dish. The almond ricotta is tangy and creamy thanks to probiotic culture and reserved soaking water, and the spinach walnut pesto cuts through the richness with herbal brightness.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Skillet method keeps things streamlined — no layered baking dishes to wash.
• Almond ricotta is made from soaked almonds for a silky texture and subtle nuttiness.
• Spinach walnut pesto adds an herby, savory lift that pairs perfectly with tomato sauce.
• The recipe uses oven-ready noodles broken into pieces so they cook gently in the sauce without boiling a separate pot of pasta.

Ingredients

Follow this list exactly when cooking; ingredient names and amounts are used in the instructions below.

• 2 cups sliced or slivered almonds, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour
• ½ cup reserved soaking water
• ½ teaspoon probiotic powder (loose or from a capsule)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated with a microplane (optional)
• big pinch of nutritional yeast (optional)
• ½ cup walnut halves
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups spinach, packed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, small dice (1 scant cup diced onion)
• 1 carrot, small dice (½ cup diced carrot)
• 1 small zucchini, small dice (½ cup diced zucchini)
• ⅓ cup cooked French lentils
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• sea salt and ground black pepper
• 3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce
• 6 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles (about 6–7), broken into thirds
• 1 cup almond ricotta
• spinach walnut pesto
• extra spinach

Prep note

Start by soaking the 2 cups sliced or slivered almonds in boiling water for 1 hour and reserving ½ cup of that soaking water. You’ll also need ½ teaspoon probiotic powder ready for the ricotta culture step. Cook your French lentils ahead of time — about ⅓ cup cooked is used in the skillet. Have the oven-ready lasagna noodles on hand; you’ll break them into thirds so they fit the pan.

Spinach Walnut Pesto

This quick pesto provides a bright, savory finish to the casserole and doubles as a topping to stir into finished portions. Use the walnut halves, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, spinach, olive oil, and seasoning listed above.

Pesto method

1. Place ½ cup walnut halves, 2 cloves garlic (finely minced), ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 cups packed spinach into a blender or food processor.
2. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.
3. Pulse or blend until mostly smooth but still a little textured. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.

Almond Ricotta

The almond ricotta is what makes this dish special: cultured, tangy, and silky enough to dollop between noodle layers. Make this first so it has a few minutes to thicken while you build the skillet.

Almond ricotta method

1. Drain the 2 cups sliced or slivered almonds after they have soaked in boiling water for 1 hour. Reserve exactly ½ cup of the soaking water for the recipe.
2. In a blender, add the soaked almonds, ½ cup reserved soaking water, ½ teaspoon probiotic powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a big pinch of nutritional yeast (optional), and 1 clove garlic finely grated with a microplane (optional).
3. Blend on high until very smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. The texture should resemble a light ricotta — creamy with a tiny bit of body from the almonds.
4. Season to taste with sea salt and, if using, more lemon juice or nutritional yeast. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate briefly while you cook the sauce; the ricotta will firm up slightly as it chills.

Skillet Lasagna — Step-by-step

The following section rewrites the directions into clear, sequential steps using the ingredient list exactly. Keep your almond ricotta and pesto ready before you begin the skillet assembly.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat.
2. Add 1 small onion, small dice (about 1 scant cup diced onion), and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4–6 minutes.
3. Add 1 carrot, small dice (½ cup diced carrot), and 1 small zucchini, small dice (½ cup diced zucchini). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 5–7 minutes.
4. Stir in 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, and ½ teaspoon chili flakes. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
5. Add ⅓ cup cooked French lentils and stir to combine. Cook for 1–2 minutes to warm the lentils through and allow the flavors to meld.
6. Pour in 3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce and stir to evenly distribute the vegetables and lentils. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
7. Once the sauce is simmering, add the broken 6 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles (about 6–7 noodles broken into thirds), pressing them into the sauce so they are submerged. Reduce heat to medium-low. The noodles will soften and cook in the sauce; partially cover the skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally and ensuring noodles remain submerged, until the noodles are tender, about 12–15 minutes. If the sauce thickens too quickly and the noodles aren’t cooked, add up to ¼ cup water as needed.
8. When the noodles are tender and the sauce is thick but saucy, drop dollops of 1 cup almond ricotta evenly over the surface. Using the back of a spoon, gently swirl some ricotta into the sauce so every bite will have a creamy element, but keep some larger pockets of ricotta for texture.
9. Scatter spoonfuls of spinach walnut pesto over the top, then add extra spinach across the skillet so it wilts into the warm sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes more until the spinach just begins to wilt and the flavors are melded.
10. Taste and finish with sea salt and ground black pepper as needed. Remove from heat and let rest for 3–5 minutes before serving so the dish sets slightly and is easier to portion.

To serve

Scoop generous portions straight from the skillet and finish each plate with an additional drizzle of olive oil and a spoonful of spinach walnut pesto if desired. A handful of extra fresh spinach or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast adds brightness and a cheesy note.

Make-ahead and storage

• Almond ricotta can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.
• The assembled skillet lasagna stores well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water or tomato sauce to loosen it up.
• Freeze leftover portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Tips for success

• Soak the almonds in boiling water for the full hour — this yields the smoothest ricotta texture when blended.
• Reserve exactly ½ cup of the soaking water; it’s used to thin and culture the ricotta properly when combined with ½ teaspoon probiotic powder.
• When breaking oven-ready lasagna noodles into thirds, try to keep pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly in the sauce.
• Adjust the chili flakes to your heat preference. The ½ teaspoon called for gives gentle background heat; reduce if serving kids or those sensitive to spice.
• If the skillet sauce reduces too much before noodles are cooked, add small splashes of water to finish the noodle cooking without burning the sauce.

Flavor variations

• Add roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts to the vegetable mixture for extra depth.
• For a smokier edge, stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika with the tomato sauce.
• Swap some or all of the spinach for kale in the pesto if you prefer a heartier green; blanch the kale briefly before blending to soften it.

Final thoughts

This Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta is built on simple techniques that deliver serious comfort. The almond ricotta brings a tangy creaminess that pairs beautifully with the rustic tomato base and peppery spinach walnut pesto. It’s a satisfying one-pan dinner that feels special enough for guests but simple enough for a busy weeknight.

Make the almond ricotta and pesto ahead when you have time, then assemble the skillet in under 30 minutes for a delicious, plant-forward meal that everyone will love.

Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta

A hearty one-skillet lasagna layered with homemade almond ricotta and spinach-walnut pesto for a creamy, plant-based dinner.

Print Recipe Save it

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Blender or Food Processor
• large 10–11-inch deep skillet with lid
• Microplane or grater
• mixing bowl or container
• Spatula or spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups almonds, sliced or slivered soaked in boiling water for 1 hour
• 1/2 cup reserved soaking water
• 1/2 teaspoon probiotic powder loose or from a capsule
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for stirring into ricotta
• sea salt to taste (for ricotta)
• 1 clove garlic finely grated with a microplane (optional, for ricotta)
• big pinch nutritional yeast optional, for ricotta
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced (for pesto)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups spinach packed (for pesto)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil for pesto
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste (for pesto)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing vegetables
• 1 small onion small dice (about 1 scant cup diced)
• 1 carrot small dice (about 1/2 cup diced)
• 1 small zucchini small dice (about 1/2 cup diced)
• 1/3 cup cooked French lentils
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced (for skillet filling)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste (for skillet filling)
• 3 cups tomato sauce 24 oz
• 6 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles about 6–7 noodles, broken into thirds
• 1 cup almond ricotta from earlier
• spinach walnut pesto from earlier
• extra spinach optional, a small handful to scatter

Instructions

 

• Make the almond ricotta: Drain soaked almonds and place in a blender or food processor with 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking water; pulse until the texture is lumpy and resembles ricotta, adding more soaking water as needed.
• Transfer the almond mixture to a clean container and stir in the probiotic powder until evenly distributed; cover with a clean towel and secure, then leave in a warm spot to ferment for at least 8 hours (10 hours if you prefer more tang).
• When fermentation is complete, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt to taste, the grated garlic (if using), and nutritional yeast (if using); seal and refrigerate the almond ricotta until ready to use.
• Make the spinach-walnut pesto: Toast the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3–5 minutes, then transfer to the blender or food processor.
• Add the pesto garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, packed spinach, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to the walnuts; pulse until uniformly chopped, then blend briefly on high to form a chunky puree, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Heat a 10–11-inch deep skillet over medium and add 1 tablespoon olive oil; sauté the diced onion, carrot, and zucchini until the onion is translucent and carrots are tender, about 4–5 minutes.
• Add the cooked lentils, 2 minced garlic cloves, chili flakes, and salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the 3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Nestle the broken oven-ready lasagna noodles into the simmering sauce, pushing them down so they are mostly submerged; cover the skillet and gently simmer until the noodles are just tender, about 15–17 minutes, adding up to 1/4 cup water if the skillet seems to be drying out.
• Stir the vegetables and noodles to ensure all noodles are softened. Dollop the almond ricotta and spoonfuls of spinach-walnut pesto over the top, using the back of a spoon to press the dollops into the layers; scatter a small handful of extra spinach if desired.
• Cover and cook the lasagna for another 10 minutes to heat through and meld flavors, then serve hot.

Notes

• The almond ricotta needs at least 8 hours to ferment.
• You can substitute 1 cup store-bought almond ricotta if short on time.
• If desired, use a pre-made pesto instead of making your own (about 3/4 cup).
• Use oven-ready lasagna noodles for easiest stovetop cooking.
• A deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid is required for this method.