Vegan Spinach Lasagna (Tofu Ricotta)
A comforting vegan lasagna made with tofu ricotta, cashew white sauce, marinara and fresh spinach.
Equipment
- Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)
- Immersion blender or regular blender/Food processor
- Tofu press or heavy weight and paper towels
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Oven-safe baking dish (9×7×2-inch / 23×18×5 cm)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 onion (medium)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes (canned) 1 can
- 5 oz sieved tomato puree (tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup dairy-free milk (cashew milk suggested) homemade cashew milk
- 1 clove garlic (for cashew white sauce)
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg optional
- salt and pepper (for cashew sauce) to taste
- 4 oz fresh spinach leaves
- 10 oz firm tofu pressed
- 6 lasagna pasta sheets
- 7 oz dairy-free grated cheese or vegan parmesan or extra nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onion until glossy and softened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add 2 chopped garlic cloves to the pan and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the chopped canned tomatoes, sieved tomato puree, paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper; simmer for about 5 minutes to make the marinara.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the cashew white sauce: combine soaked cashews, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 cup dairy-free milk, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, nutmeg (if using), and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until very smooth and creamy.
- Press the firm tofu to remove excess water, then crumble it into a large mixing bowl by hand.
- Add the cashew white sauce to the crumbled tofu and mix thoroughly to create the spinach ricotta base.
- Wash the fresh spinach leaves, chop them finely (a food processor works well), then fold the chopped spinach into the tofu-cashew mixture.
- Assemble the lasagna in the prepared oven-safe dish: spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom, then layer pasta sheets, marinara, and the spinach-tofu ricotta filling. Repeat the layering so you have three stacked sets (or until the dish is filled).
- Finish with a top layer of marinara and sprinkle the dairy-free grated cheese, vegan Parmesan, or extra nutritional yeast over the surface.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 400°F (204°C) until heated through and the top is lightly browned; remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
- You can use frozen spinach—thaw and squeeze out excess water first.
- For frozen-to-fresh conversion: about 10 oz frozen ≈ 1 lb fresh; this recipe uses 4 oz fresh so use ~2.5 oz frozen.
- Press tofu well to avoid a watery filling.
- Blend cashews until very smooth for a creamy white sauce.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste after assembling.