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Prior to becoming plant based, I made a mean lasagna. Loaded with four cheeses, a homemade meat sauce, eggs, and wheat noodles, this lasagna took hours to make. It tasted good to me back then, although now I cringe when I think about what I fed my body.
I haven’t eaten lasagna for more than four years…until this past Christmas Day. One of my 63 birthday activities, the words on this slip of paper read “Create a new dish for Christmas dinner”. I’d already decided to look for a vegan lasagna recipe. I found one, from Simply Quinoa, that I adapted slightly. Check out the original recipe HERE.
I LOVED this easy to prepare vegan spinach lasagna. Read on for the recipe and tips on making this dish for your next special meal or weekend dinner.
Vegan Spinach Lasagna Recipe
Simple to make and absolutely delicious, this lasagna features gluten free noodles, fresh spinach, store bought marinara sauce and two vegan cheeses made from almond milk.
Vegan Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pkg gluten free lasagna noodles
- 8 cups fresh spinach
- 1 15 oz jar marinara sauce (I use sugar free)
- 1 1/2 cups vegan ricotta
- 1 bag shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pan, add gluten free lasagna noodles to boiling water. Return to a boil for 2 minutes, cover and turn off heat. Let set for 14 minutes. Drain and run cold water over cooked noodles.
- While noodles cook, wilt spinach. Place spinach in a large pan or skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of water and cook and stir over medium high heat. Spinach will wilt and reduce in volume. Remove from heat.
- In a 9X13 pan, add a small amount of marinara sauce to bottom of pan. Layer rest of ingredients: lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, shredded cheese, spinach, Italian seasoning, sauce. Continue to layer (I made three layers), ending with marinara sauce and the last of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for 10 minutes. Cut and serve. Makes 8 large servings.
Tips for Making Vegan Spinach Lasagna
The Spinach
I’ve made this lasagna twice already. It’s that good. Both times I wilted the spinach, which is very easy to do and takes about a minute. I purchase a large bag of fresh spinach. The last time I prepared the recipe, I divided the spinach into two batches and wilted each separately. It was easier to manage the spinach that way. The spinach really does reduce in size as it wilts. Drain any liquid off before layering.
Assembling the Lasagna
Layering the lasagna is the fun part. With the ingredients listed above, I’m able to make three layers. Adding a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan keeps the noodles from sticking.
I use gluten free brown rice noodles. My favorite marinara sauce is the Paul Newman brand. It’s sugar free and available at Wal-Mart or health conscious grocery stores. And I purchase both vegan cheeses at Natural Grocers.
Doing the layers, I’ve found one package of gluten free brown rice noodles is perfect. Assemble the ingredients, spreading them out as you layer, and finish with the last of the marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. No need to cover the dish when baking.
The Taste Test
I served this lasagna at a very small family Christmas dinner. We all loved it, even the non-vegans. In fact, I believe I like it better than my old lasagna that I used to make, and that’s saying something!
The vegan cheese is not heavy and yet adds a creaminess to the dish. And I love the added spinach. It adds a wonderful flavor plus it’s so good for me. Best of all, I like that this recipe comes together quickly…prepped, baked and ready to eat in about an hour.
I could easily eat this lasagna every week! Served with steamed or roasted veggies and a big chopped salad, it makes a filling and satisfying meal. I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe too!
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