Vegan Crockpot Lasagna is the perfect entree for parties, family gatherings, and lazy days when you just want to kick back with a movie while dinner cooks. It's easy to prepare (no need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles) and versatile! Switch things up with your favorite veggies and vegan meats, and make it gluten-free with your choice of pasta.
Why You'll LOVE Crockpot Lasagna
Warm, cheesy, gooey, and rich. What's better than vegan lasagna? I'll tell you what's better...
Vegan lasagna made in the slow cooker! Friends, this recipe is a keeper for so many reasons.
- It's easy to prepare; no need to pre-cook the pasta.
- Lasagna is the perfect hot entrée for potlucks, parties, and game day since all you need to do is plug in the crockpot to keep it warm.
- Vegan slow cooker recipes are perfect for make-ahead situations. And while it cooks you're free to clean house, prepare for guests, run errands, or just chill on the sofa on a rainy day.
- It's impossibly delicious! Seriously, make this when you want to impress skeptical omnivores. The herbed tofu ricotta, rich melted cheese, and tangy sauce all combine inside the crockpot to create magic, pure vegan magic. You'll see!
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Ingredients
For the tofu ricotta:
- Firm tofu - I prefer regular firm tofu for ricotta because it's creamier, but extra-firm is also fine.
- Yogurt - look for a plain, unflavored and unsweetened variety. Kite Hill's Greek-style is really nice or Forager's plain cashew-gurt. Homemade cashew yogurt or almond milk yogurt are perfect, too.
- Lemon juice - in addition to the yogurt, lemon adds an authentic tanginess to the ricotta.
- Salt and garlic powder
- Italian seasoning - though this isn't necessarily part of basic tofu ricotta, I like to stir it in during this step instead of adding it to the dish later. If you don't have Italian seasoning on hand don't fret! Add about ½ teaspoon each of dried oregano, basil, and parsley plus a pinch of thyme.
Other ingredients:
- Lasagna noodles - look for regular lasagna with ruffled edges; use a gluten-free variety if needed.
- Marinara - any jarred marinara/spaghetti sauce you like is fine. I used one of the organic 365 spaghetti sauces.
- Vegan cheese - I like to buy Violife Mature Cheddar (the block) and shred it myself. Pre-shredded cheese is fine, too, but the anti-caking agents can sometimes interfere with melting. This is the great thing about the crockpot, though. The lid creates a steaming environment and melts vegan cheese like a champ! Or go the homemade route with this easy vegan mozzarella.
- Onion, mushrooms, spinach - feel free to omit anything you don't like (lookin at you, mushroom-haters), and add garlic or any other veggies you like in lasagna.
- Soy sauce or tamari - this is optional and really only needed for seasoning the onion and mushrooms.
See recipe card below for quantities and the full recipe.
Instructions
- First, drain the blocks of tofu and place in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes while you chop the onion and mushrooms. Some water will drain out of the tofu as it sits. Discard the water, then add the remaining ricotta ingredients to the bowl. Mash with a fork until the ricotta is fluffy. Stir in the Italian seasoning.
- Sauté onion and mushrooms until softened. Add chopped spinach and cook for another minute. Set aside.
How to Layer Lasagna in the Crockpot
Do 2 rounds of layers like this:
- sauce - about 1 ⅓ cups
- pasta - 3 sheets broken to fit
- tofu ricotta - about 1 ½ cups
- sautéed vegetables - half of them
- shredded vegan cheese - about ¾ cup
Then, for the 3rd and final round, you'll skip the veggies and shredded cheese and finish with sauce on top. So the 3rd round looks like this:
- sauce
- pasta
- ricotta
- sauce - just a thin layer to cover the ricotta
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, carefully lift the lid straight up to avoid dumping all the condensation onto your lasagna. Top the lasagna with shredded cheese, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes.
Turn off the crockpot and let the lasagna stand for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before serving, if you can wait that long!
Do I have to let the lasagna rest before serving?
You can serve it right after cooking, but just know that it will be somewhat messy, more like scooping up a casserole.
The rest time allows the lasagna to cool slightly which helps it set, and it gives the flavors more time to mingle.
Serving Suggestions
Pair crockpot lasagna with a fresh green salad and some warm garlic bread. Since the lasagna is very rich, this Fat-Free Italian Dressing can help lighten things up!
Variations
- Gluten-free - use gluten-free lasagna noodles, and be sure to use gluten-free tamari to season the sauté.
- With vegan meat - the sky is the limit!
- Add crumbled vegan sausage or vegan pepperoni.
- Brown some Impossible or Beyond Meat with the vegetables.
- For a homemade beefy option try this amazing soy curl vegan beef. Since it's already cooked you can add it directly to the crockpot with the sauce layers.
- Additional veggies - try sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot, and swap the spinach for kale, arugula, or finely chopped broccoli.
And when you're in the mood for something similar but without tomatoes, try this vegan white lasagna.
Equipment
I use this 6 quart Crockpot. The locking lid comes in handy for transporting dishes to parties (and events like chili cookoffs)!
You'll also need a large sauté pan if including the veggies and a box grater if not using pre-shredded vegan cheese.
Storage
Store leftover lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It's great for meal prep and reheats well in the microwave.
This vegan lasagna can also be frozen. Once completely cool, transfer to a freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Top Tip
Remember, immediately after cooking the lasagna will be very soft. You can serve it right away (trust me, it's hard to wait!), or let it sit for a while if you want it slightly more set.
Unlike baked lasagna, which can be dry, the crockpot lid holds in all the delicious moisture, which is part of what makes this vegan lasagna so cheesy, creamy and amazing. I hope you love it!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Crockpot Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
For tofu ricotta:
- 2 (14 oz) packages firm tofu (no need to press) - Extra firm also works.
- ¾ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt - Homemade or store-bought.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning - See Note 1.
Other ingredients:
- 2 (25 oz) jars marinara sauce
- 9 to 10 sheets regular lasagne - Gluten-free, if desired.
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 10 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped
- 6 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, optional
- 7 ounces vegan cheese, shredded - See Note 2. I used Violife Mature Cheddar block and shredded it with a box grater.
Instructions
- First, drain the packages of tofu and place in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare and gather the other ingredients. Some water will drain out of the tofu as it sits. Discard the water, then add the remaining ricotta ingredients to the bowl. Mash with a fork until the ricotta is fluffy and fully incorporated.
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Dry sauté the onion and mushrooms until softened and dry, about 8 minutes. Add chopped spinach and tamari, if using, and cook for another minute or until wilted. Set aside.
- Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 6-quart slow cooker, and turn it on to HIGH so it can heat while you assemble the lasagna.
- Spread about 1 ½ cups of marinara across the bottom of the crockpot followed by 3 pasta sheets, broken to fit (this doesn't need to be perfect). Spread with 1 ½ cups tofu ricotta, followed by half of the mushroom mixture, and then approximately ¾ cup shredded cheese.
- Repeat the layering process as written above. Then, for the 3rd and final round, you'll skip the veggies and shredded cheese and finish with sauce on top. So the 3rd round looks like this: sauce, pasta, ricotta, sauce. Note: you'll likely have a small amount of ricotta leftover, but it's very easy to enjoy in other ways. It's great on toast or added cold to salads!
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours. After 2 hours, carefully lift the lid straight up to avoid dumping condensation onto the lasagna. Sprinkle the lasagna with more shredded cheese, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes.
- The cheese should be melted and the lasagna should be bubbling lightly. Turn off the crockpot and let the lasagna stand for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour (with the lid askew). The lasagna can be served right away, but it will be fairly messy, more like a casserole. The rest time allows the lasagna to cool slightly which helps it set. Serve with a side salad and enjoy!
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Collette
I love this recipe! The flavor is a amazing! I did cut back on the pasta sauce...and added the spinach and my homemade Italian sausage. YUMMY!!
Thank you!
Greta
Made this lasagna today..we agree this a keeper. Followed recipe and added some broccoli florets, zucchini and thin sliced carrots. Was impressed with the final result of the tofu n almond yogurt ricotta… it’s tasty with a good texture. Thank you Lori!
Leann Nowak
Wow! I tried this lasagna tonight and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I omitted the tamari and added about 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets and 2 cups of shredded organic carrots to the other veggies (because they were in the fridge and I needed to use them.) I also baked mine in the oven due to time. It was a hit with the entire family! My teenage daughter added a few dollops of the vegan cashew mozzarella and said it was AMAZING. Thank you so much for sharing all of your delicious and healthy recipes. We are brand new to the WFPB way of life and are loving it!!!
Kat
Hi Lori!
Quick question. It doesn’t say anywhere in the instructions what to do with the tamari/soy sauce, so I just didn’t add it into anything.
What are you supposed to do with it so I know for next time?
Just made it for the first time and I can’t wait to try it!
Kat.
Lori
Hi Kat,
Whoops! Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. It's in the body of the post, but I forgot to add it to the recipe instructions (doing that now)! It's for seasoning the sauteed veggies during step 2.
Hope you enjoy it!
Kat
Oh thank you! I’ll do it next time! Making my second batch tomorrow actually! The first one even without the soy sauce was absolutely amazing and my husband said it was the best lasagna he ever had!
Nina - Edamommy4life
This recipe is great! I made it shortly after you posted it and I'm making it again as part of a ladies' Christmas party tomorrow night! It is perfect since it won't take up any oven space : ) I added an extra layer to it and it sat for an hour after it finished cooking before we served it. It was perfect--not watery, which seems to happen many times when I make lasagna.
Joyce Ward
I don’t own a slow cooker. What is the alternative?
Lori
Hi Joyce,
I haven't tested this one in the oven since the recipe was written specifically for the slow cooker, but I'm sure that the basic oven instructions you'll find in other lasagna recipes will work for this, too. Most call for layering it in a 13x9 casserole dish, so you may need to alter the amount of pasta (will likely require more). Then cover it tightly with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for around an hour. Hope that helps.
TL
Is there a way to do this in the instant pot instead?
Lori
Hi, I believe most IPs have a slow cooker function, so you could definitely layer it up in the Instant Pot and go that route. But if you’re curious about pressure cooking lasagna, I really couldn’t say. That would take some testing and a different process.
daisy
OMGosh, this looks SO good. We used to eat lasagna for Christmas, but having to make 3 different versions (for all of our dietary needs), was just too much. This looks like a breeze to make. I am so thankful this Thanksgiving for all of the marvelous recipes you've shared. You have made my life better because of it. So, thank you.
Blessings...daisy
Lori
Daisy, thank you so much for the lovely comment! I'm happy to know the recipes help you. I hope you love the lasagna, and happy Thanksgiving!
Dallas
Hi! I’m hoping to make this tomorrow. Usually when I make lasagna, I boil the noodles first. The recipe doesn’t say to do that (unless I missed it). Can you make it with uncooked noodles?
Lori
Hi Dallas, yes the noodles go in dry. No need to boil first! Hope you enjoy it!