Meet the High-Protein Vegan Lasagna of Your Dreams

As a proud Italian, I said I would never, ever, give up cheese before I went vegan. Fast forward a couple years when I discovered that the lactose intolerance was real.....I gave up cheese. This vegan lasagna is a prime example of why I don't miss cheese. The additions of the vegan spinach ricotta cheese and the dreamy cashew cream sauce in this recipe totally satisfy my comfort food cravings 100%. 

After some quick math, I calculated that the recipe (for 9 servings) amounts to about 16 grams of protein per slice. Nice. With this recipe, you'll have the ultimate Italian comfort food and won't have to worry about a protein source while you're inhaling creamy vegan lasagna goodness. Time to get plant strong. 

High-Protein Vegan Lasagna

• Prep Time:1 hr
• Cook Time:50 mins
• Total Time:1 hr 50 mins
• Servings:9
• Medium

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 4-5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 package extra firm tofu drained and pressed dry
• 1 cup frozen or fresh spinach
• 1 cup fresh basil or parsley
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1/2 water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• Assorted vegetables
• 28 oz marinara sauce or roasted tomatoes
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Pinch fresh or dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 boxes no-boil lasagna noodles
• Approximately 10 cherry tomatoes sliced into quarters for topping
• Fresh parsley or basil for topping

• Step 1

  Measure out 3 cups of raw cashews, and place two cups into one bowl and the remaining cup into a separate bowl. Cover the cashews with boiling water for approximately two hours until softened.

  

• Step 2

  Drain the water from the tofu. To do this, place the tofu on a couple of layers of paper towels and put another layer on top. Place a heavy object like a skillet on top for one hour.

  

• Step 3

  Preheat your oven to 375° fahrenheit. Next, chop your assorted vegetables into bite-sized pieces for roasting. In this recipe, I used portobello mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, and yellow bell pepper. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand! Place the chopped veggies on one or two large sheet pans with your preferred oil (I used coconut oil spray) and season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until browned and tender.

  

• Step 4

  To make the vegan spinach ricotta, use a food processor or high-speed blender to first pulse 1 cup soaked cashews, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of miso paste, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 teaspoons of pepper, and 4-5 tablespoons of nutritional yeast until the mixture is fine and crumbly. Next, add the crumbled tofu, 1 cup of spinach, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 cup fresh basil/parsley to the mixture and pulse to throughly combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator covered for later use.

  

• Step 5

  For the cashew cream sauce, blend 2 cups soaked cashews, 1/2 cup water,
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon miso paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper, 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy.

  

• Step 6

  To make the marinara sauce, heat a sauce pot to medium heat. Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan, and sauté the minced garlic in the oil for a few minutes until fragrant. Add your thyme if desired. Pour in 28 oz of tomatoes or marinara sauce and stir gently to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes, and then add 1 can of sliced black olives and salt/pepper to taste.
  
  Or honestly, if you're too lazy to make your own sauce or don't have time, do yourself a favor and use your favorite jarred sauce.

  

• Step 7

  Before assembling the lasagna, turn the oven down to 350° fahrenheit. To assemble the lasagna, first spread a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a large casserole dish (approximately 13x9 inches). Next, place a layer of about 5 lasagna noodle sheets on top.

  

• Step 8

  Add the cashew cream sauce and spread evenly across the noodles.

  

• Step 9

  Liberally scatter the roasted vegetables across the cream sauce for even vegetable coverage. Dollop the spinach ricotta on top of the vegetable layer, and then cover with lasagna noodle sheets.

  

• Step 10

  Once the casserole dish is filled and there is a layer of lasagna noodles at the top, spread the remaining marinara sauce on top. Dollop any remaining cashew cream sauce on top and swirl if desired. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes for garnish or even vegan cheese shreds. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 50 minutes.

  

• Step 11

  When the cashew cream on top is set and the lasagna is bubbling, remove it from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving (if you can even wait that long). Cut the lasagna into large slices and devour!

There you have it, the high-protein vegan lasagna recipe of your dreams. Packed with nutrient dense plants, this dish is sure to satisfy anyone, vegan or non-vegan. Now if you haven't already started a mental grocery list, get up, grab your ingredients, and get #plantstrong with this kick-ass vegan lasagna.