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beefy vegan lasagna

The Ultimate Meaty Vegan Lasagna

This hearty vegan lasagna is cheesy, meaty, and full of flavor. The recipe takes awhile to prepare, but it is well worth it! Leftovers keep well for several days in the fridge (and, in my opinion, taste even better as the flavors develop).
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Sarah Sullivan + Eric Ames

Ingredients

Tomato-Basil Sauce

  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 28 oz cans crushed Cento San Marzano tomatoes
  • large handful fresh basil leaves chopped
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Tofu-Almond Ricotta

  • ½ block extra-firm tofu
  • 1 cup blanched almonds soaked for 2+ hours
  • cup plain-unsweetened vegan yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt to taste

Add-Ins

  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced*
  • 1 large zucchini chopped
  • ½ 12 oz bag bag Gardein beef-style crumbles

Assembly

  • 2 Hot Italian Beyond Sausages casings removed**
  • 4 cups vegan mozzarella shreds
  • ½ cup grated vegan parmesan
  • 12 lasagna noodles prepared according to package instructions

Instructions

For the Sauce

  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot. Sauté garlic for a few minutes, until fragrant.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, chopped basil, pepper flakes, onion powder, and oregano. Stir to combine. Bring to a very gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours. (This can also be prepared in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.)

For the Ricotta

  • Combine ingredients in a food processor and puree until mostly smooth. (A tiny amount of graininess is actually preferable and will make the ricotta texture much more convincing! Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to ensure even texture.

For the Add-Ins

  • In a skillet over medium-high heat, sautée mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil for 5-8 minutes, stirring often, to cook off excess moisture. Add zucchini and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, cook vegan beef-style crumbles and Beyond Sausage for a few minutes until lightly browned. (If you're just using the beef crumbles, you can skip this step, but the Beyond Sausage is easiest to work with when lightly cooked.)

To Assemble

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles, and roughly 1/3 of the sausage, vegetables, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and sauce. Repeat layers, reserving about 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 cup of sauce for the very top.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 additional minutes, uncovered, until edges are slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes before serving. (This will allow it to firm up a bit and make it easier to cut and serve.)

Notes

*Feel free to use any vegetables you love! Spinach, eggplant, peppers and onions all work beautifully in this lasagna; you simply want to sauté them first to remove excess liquid. You can also feel free to leave the veggies out and double up on your vegan beef and sausage for an extra-meaty lasagna.
**If you can't find Beyond Sausage locally, feel free to use extra vegan beefy crumbles. You can add a shake of Italian seasoning and fennel seed to the beef for that Italian sausage flavor. You can also sub in crumbled Tofurky or Field Roast Italian sausage.
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.