Vegan White Lasagna

Vegan white lasagna is a dairy-free take on the classic creamy dish. Made with layers of tender pasta, vegan ricotta, sautéed veggies, a quick vegan bechamel, and topped off with melted mozzarella. It's a plant-based comfort food meal the whole family will love!

What is white lasagna?

In case white lasagna is new to you, it's pretty much exactly what the name implies. Instead of the red tomato sauce you find in classic lasagna, white lasagna has a white sauce.

Usually this is a simple béchamel (butter, flour, and milk). Although, some white lasagna recipes use Alfredo sauce (butter and Parmesan) instead of béchamel.

Jump to:

• What is white lasagna?
• How to Make It Vegan
• Ingredient Notes
• How to Make Vegan White Lasagna
• Serving Suggestions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment Needed
• FAQs
• Top Tips
• More Vegan Italian Recipes
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

For the sauce, I took inspiration from my oil-free vegan Alfredo. My vegan bechamel includes plenty of sautéed garlic plus a few other key "cheesy" ingredients like miso, lemon, and nutritional yeast to create a seriously delicious dairy-free white sauce!

For my first test batch I included cauliflower in the sauce (slightly altered from the above-mentioned Alfredo recipe). And honestly, it was good! Even my always-hungry, weight-lifter husband loved it.

But in the end we both agreed that a richer sauce would be more appropriate for vegan white lasagna. So for the next test batch I ditched the cauliflower and added cashews.

For the cheeses usually found in white lasagna - ricotta and mozzarella - we're simply using vegan versions.

If you're familiar with homemade vegan cheese recipes you know there's room for customization here. I opted for this tofu vegan ricotta because it's just SO good. I also like that tofu adds satisfying protein to the dish.

But if you're not a fan of tofu there are many ricotta recipes online that use nuts, like my almond ricotta.

For the mozzarella I went with store-bought shreds for convenience and because I wanted to add more richness. But you can certainly use any homemade vegan mozzarella you like, even an oil-free option.

Ingredient Notes

For the white sauce:

• plant milk - I used plain, unsweetened soy milk because it's nice and creamy and has a neutral flavor. Watch out for refrigerated milks that claim to be unflavored but actually aren't! The shelf-stable boxes of unsweetened soy milk are the safest bet.
• raw cashews - cashews lend fat, body, and creaminess to the sauce. The natural starches in cashews thicken when heated, which is why they're so useful in replacing dairy.
• garlic - important to the overall flavor of the savory, cheesy sauce
• oil or broth - for sautéing the garlic
• lemon juice - adds the perfect amount of tangy, cheesy flavor.
• miso - either white or chickpea miso. If you're new to using miso, I hope I can convince you to give it a try. It's fantastic for vegan cheeses and savory sauces. You'll usually find it in the refrigerated section near the tofu.
• nutritional yeast - adds a cheesy, umami flavor. I recommend this non-fortified one by Sari.

Other lasagna ingredients:

• vegan ricotta - my top choice is the tofu-yogurt ricotta linked above (and in the recipe), or the 2-ingredient almond ricotta also linked above.
  You can use a store-bought vegan ricotta like the one by Kite Hill, but it's very pricey! And you'll need two containers.
• parsley - this is optional; I folded chopped parsley into the ricotta for an extra touch of green.
• veggies - feel free to experiment here. I wanted to add volume to the lasagna without using vegan sausage, so chopped mushrooms and onion were an easy choice. Spinach is another classic ingredient found in white lasagna and is easy to incorporate.
• lasagne noodles - I prefer regular lasagne to no boil varieties. The added step of boiling the pasta is easy enough and only takes a few extra minutes.

How to Make Vegan White Lasagna

First, make the tofu ricotta (click for the recipe). This only takes a few minutes. Stir in the parsley then set aside.

Serving Suggestions

Since the flavors in white lasagna are primarily cheesy and creamy, it's nice to have a fresh green salad on the side. Try this popular fat-free Italian dressing if you're in the mood for something light.

A colorful kale salad is another tasty pairing.

And as with any pasta dish, you can't go wrong with a side of garlic bread, made with vegan butter, of course!

Substitutions

• gluten-free: for an entirely vegan and gluten-free white lasagna, all you need to do is replace the pasta. Super easy, right?
  There are many brands of gluten-free lasagne available, such as Jovial, Tinkyada, and Barilla. If you can't find one at your local store, ordering online is an option.
  
• oil-free: replace the store-bought cheese with your favorite homemade oil-free option. It doesn't even need to be shreddable! If you use my vegan mozzarella recipe, simply dollop it on top of the lasagna.
  
  Also, for my first test batch of the recipe I did NOT oil the dish, and had no problems with sticking. Keep in mind this may vary depending on the type of baking dish you use. Glazed stoneware like you see in the photos is a good choice.
  
• cashews: for a cashew-free, nut-free lasagna, sub raw sunflower seeds or 2 cups of raw cauliflower florets.
  
• mushrooms: to replace the volume and texture, try crumbled vegan Italian sausage or plant-based ground beef. If you like a little heat, the Beyond Hot Italian Sausages are a delicious addition.

Variations

• slow cooker: don't want to turn on the oven? Follow the cooking instructions in this vegan crockpot lasagna recipe.

Equipment Needed

• blender: you'll need a blender for the white sauce. Since we're blending whole cashews, a high-speed blender like a Vitamix works best. Otherwise, it's a good idea to soak the cashews first. You can do this overnight or in hot water for 1 to 2 hours.
• saute pan: you'll also need a large saute pan for the vegetables.
• 9 x 13 baking dish: I use a glazed ceramic dish, similar to this. A standard glass casserole dish is also fine.

There are also some nice, high quality casserole/lasagna dishes that come with oven-safe lids. Those are perfect for recipes like this and replace the need for aluminum foil.

Keep in mind that a metal baking dish conducts heat more quickly and less evenly. If you use a metal pan you will likely need to reduce the cook time.

FAQs

Recipe