Blame it on the tofu, mmmkay?
Tofu ricotta, that is.
I’ll admit, I haven’t always been tofu’s biggest fan.
It tastes bland and needs a lot of help in the flavor department.
It has a strange texture.
It takes an extra 30 minutes to prepare (pressing the tofu to rid of excess water is essential to avoid a soggy mess).
And it’s slightly processed, which I try to avoid.
BUT… let me tell you a little secret.
This ‘Vegan Tofu Ricotta Lasagna‘ recipe has since washed away every single one of my tofu complaints.
The extra 30 minutes of prep? Doesn’t even phase me.
The bland taste? GONE with all the fresh, savory ingredients we are mixing in.
The strange texture? What strange texture? GONE because we prepared it right.
The fact that its slightly processed? Don’t even care because this is GOOD VEGAN COMFORT FOOD and we all need it from time to time.
This recipe is SO worth all of it.
Now is the time when I start begging you to make my lasagna ASAP. Like, right now. Tonight even, because you will fall in love with the dairy free cheesiness and comfort food feel. Be warned, you’ll probably have a moment when you ask yourself, wait, how is this vegan? Like, how? Not even joking.
Not to mention how healthy this meatless lasagna is, or how many greens I packed in (3 zucchini + 3 cups of spinach, to be exact). Or the fact that it’s oil free and can be gluten free by swapping in gluten free lasagna noodles. Or how delightfully easy it is. I mean… I don’t know how something can be so tasty and resemble the real deal so much… but it happened, so we’re going with it.
What makes lasagna the best comfort food ever?
The layers and layers of hearty noodles oozing with tomato basil sauce and cheesy ricotta texture. There’s something about the crumbled tofu mixed with nutritional yeast, tahini, fresh basil, miso and lemon that really sets this dish apart from others I’ve tried. Plus, the fact that it reheats so perfectly (almost better) the next day, kinda like pizza in a way. Hello weekly lunches? Pair it with a leafy green salad for the yummiest winter lunch ever.
Oh, also, your kitchen/house will smell amaaaaaazing. Nutritional yeast is essential for that cheesy flavor, not to mention it?s high in plant protein and energizing B vitamins (like B12). You can purchase nutritional yeast at most grocery stores in the ‘natural/organic’ section, usually by the flours or you can buy it here.
First, crumble the tofu.
Now, mix in all the savory ingredients to make your cheese-like Tofu Ricotta. Mmmm.
I layered the lasagna like this:
sauce
noodles
thin strips of zucchini
layer of ricotta
layer of spinach
more sauce
Then, repeat 2 more times with noodles, zucchini, ricotta etc.
Sprinkle the top with italian bread crumbs, nutritional yeast and oregano.
Cover with foil and bake!
I’m trying to have more fun with recipes this year. That’s one of my blog goals for 2017. I want to re-create classic favorites (like this lasagna) and turn them into healthy, plant based vegan versions. Recipes with that “wow factor” that can please anyone and everyone, while also remaining healthy. Recipes people recognize for the name, but actually want to try for the health factor of it.
Not to say that I’m tired of glow bowls because they are my one true love (!!) but I’m tired of the same old thing which is why I’m changing things up around here!
So get excited and go make this Vegan Tofu Ricotta Lasagna.
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Vegan Tofu Ricotta Lasagna
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 90
Description
The BEST ‘Vegan Tofu Ricotta Lasagna’ so healthy, yet tastes like the real deal. Hearty, easy to make, packed with veggies + an unbelievable “tofu ricotta” filling. Plant based comfort food!
Ingredients
Tofu Ricotta
- 1 14 oz. package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon shallot, chopped small
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tahini (or plain hummus)
- 1 teaspoon miso (or low-sodium soy sauce/tamari)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (don’t overdo the salt as many other ingredients in this have more than enough salt already!)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional (or more for extra spiciness!)
For the Lasagna
- 4–5 cups tomato basil marinara sauce (about 1.5 jars), divided
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 3 zucchini, sliced into super thin, long strips
- 3–4 cups spinach, divided (can also use frozen spinach)
- italian bread crumbs, for topping (optional)
- extra nutritional yeast, for topping (optional)
- extra fresh basil, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Start with the tofu. First we need to prep it and remove excess water. Drain the package of tofu then cut into 5 strips. Lay 2 paper towels (or one clean kitchen towel) on a baking sheet. Place tofu strips on top of paper towels. Lay 2 more paper towels over the tofu. Place another baking sheet (or heavy flat-bottomed object) then a fairly heavy book on top of that (because you don’t want the book to get wet!) and set aside for 30-40 minutes. This absorbs excess water in tofu. Could also use a tofu press if you have one.
- After the tofu has been pressed, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place tofu in a medium-sized bowl and crumble with a fork until it resembles ricotta cheese and all large clumps are crumbled. Mix in all ingredients for tofu ricotta. Taste test and adjust accordingly. Set aside.
- In a 9×13 in baking dish, spread a thin layer of tomato basil marinara sauce (about 1/2-1 cup). Then do one layer of noodles (3-4; depending on the size of your baking dish) one layer of zucchini strips, tofu ricotta, spinach and sauce. Then repeat for 2 more layers, ending with a layer of noodles, then sauce (don’t skimp on the sauce or the noodles will dry out!). Top with breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes (You want to be sure the zucchini is cooked!).
- Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before removing foil and cutting.
- Pair with a leafy green salad.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- To save on baking time, lightly steam zucchini strips before layering in dish.
- It helps to divide out the tofu ricotta into three parts, so you know how much you can use for each layer. I ended up with 3 layers of ricotta and zucchini and 4 layers of noodles, if that helps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
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This is hands down the best vegan lasagna!! My family loves it. I’ve made it several times and have one in the oven right now!
I usually skip the step of pressing the tofu – the added moisture is needed for the oven-ready green lentil pasta that I use in this recipe. I don’t feel the need to pre-cook the zucchini as long as it’s cut in very thin slices. Tonight I added in some cooked brown mushrooms to change it up a bit. Otherwise I follow your recipe exactly and everything is perfect. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Delicious! I’ve been making tofu ricotta lasagna for 5 years, but never have I used zucchini in it. It adds so much more texture and tenderness without getting mushy or overdone. Everyone needs to try this!
★★★★★
This was great! My only change was blending the tofu ricotta, as some other recipes do. I steamed the zucchini a bit before assembling, but some of it was still pretty tough. I think you need to slice it REALLY thin or bake beforehand. This was a great satisfying meal, pretty easy to put together and makes plenty for leftovers!
Has anyone put this together the night before and cook it the next day?
Love the tufo ricotta. Next time I think I will steam the zucchini first and press all the water out. Also I left the noodles out. Really good
Super duper good, the tofu ricotta was particularly fantastic!! i thin next time i’ll try one less zucchini, and maybe a few mushrooms! i found there was a lot of liquid at the bottom!! like watery stuff :/ but that’s okay it was still really really tasty and im def gonna make it again!!
Always spray a little Olive Oil and put a Lasagne sheet on the bottom of the dish to soak up the fluids…always works for me…
4 thumbs up from our family! Even 8 year old picky eater loves it and has requested it for her school lunch tomorrow. It was easier than I thought. We didn’t use the no bake pasta (just cooked lasagna noodles first) but everything else we followed to a T.
Thank you!
My first try when it comes to vegan dishes and I must admit that it was delicious. Just hope it aint a fluke because I will be trying others on your site. Thanks for sharing !
Hi! I made this yesterday & it was wonderful! My non vegan sister & husband loved it! I left the zucchini out but will make again & try the zucchini. I love that this is definitely a healthier lasagna! Thank you! Oh, I bought a tofu press several years ago. Definitely worth getting!
Just made this– 15 minutes left in the oven– can’t wait to try!!
Hope you loved it Sadie! I can’t get enough of it 🙂
Wow, this is so creative!
Will be adding this to my ever expanding list of recipe to try (plant based of course!)
Did you cook the noodles prior to baking? They look uncooked in the pictures so I wanted to be sure.
Thanks!
Hi Jan,
I used no-boil lasagna noodles so no need to cook them prior. Some pictures are the before product and some are after. Hope that helps!
Shannon
Did you have any issues with the zucchini “leaking” during cooking? Since cooking zucchini draws out a lot of water, it didn’t make the dish too mushy? Or did you salt and pat the zucchini dry first?
Hi Ellen,
I did not experience that and most times, I think lasagna can use the extra moisture but you can definitely try it if you like 🙂 let me know how it goes!
Always spray a little Olive Oil, or Tomato Sauce on the base of the pan and then put a Lasagne sheet over the bottom of the dish to soak up the fluids while cooking…always works for me…