Vegan Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna with Creamy Basil Sauce

This rich and gooey Vegan Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna will be a popular item on your holiday table. You might want to make two of them!

Lasagna is one of my comfort foods. It was always something that I loved before I changed my diet to a whole food, oil-free way of eating.

I’ve tried many different versions of lasagna over the years. Some were full of veggies but really watery. Some replaced the cheese with vegan cheese, which is really slimy…not to mention full of oil. I really wanted something that would be similar in texture to a traditional lasagna. Something that would withstand being cut and served with a spatula.

And of course, I wanted it to be delicious. I think this one fits all my criteria and I hope it fits yours.

The creamy basil sauce is really easy to make and adds so much flavor to this lasagna. If you have a high powered blender like a VitaMix, you can just toss all the ingredients in and blend it until smooth. Otherwise, soak your cashews in hot water for 30 minutes or so (or overnight) and then blend.  Set this aside while you chop the veggies.

I use my Müeller vegetable chopper to chop my onions and zucchini using the 1/4″ blade. I use the 1/2″ blade for the mushrooms. I use the food processor for ricing the cauliflower. I chop the greens with a knife, chopping it very small. You can buy already riced cauliflower if you don’t have a food processor or want to save time.

Sauté the onion until translucent and softening. Add the garlic and continue to sauté, using splashes of water, broth or wine if any sticking occurs. Add in all the veggies and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt, if using, and with oregano and thyme (or Italian seasoning). Continue to sauté until all the water cooks off. Remove from heat and set aside while you cook the lasagna noodles.

Depending on what type of noodles you use, it should take about 7-10 minutes to cook them to al dente. Rinse with cold water immediately.

Add 1 cup of pasta sauce to a casserole dish (I used a 9″x13″) and swirl it around to cover the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of noodles and cover with some of the basil sauce.

Add half the vegetables and a layer of the pasta sauce on top.

Add another layer of noodles and crumble the burgers on top (optional) and about half of the remaining basil sauce.

Add the rest of the vegetables, more pasta sauce and any remaining basil sauce and top with blobs of the mozzarella (if using). I like to dot pasta sauce all around the mozzarella (if using). Here’s the mozzarella I make to use in recipes like this:

If cooking right away, cover with parchment and foil, but leave a little corner up to vent it. Bake for 40-50 minutes, covered. Remove foil and bake for 5-15 minutes until everything is bubbling and (if used) the cheese is golden.

If cooking at a later time, cover with parchment and foil and seal around the edges. Refrigerate up to a day or two. Add an additional 20-30 minutes of cooking time to cook from cold.

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Vegan Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna with Creamy Basil Sauce

This rich and gooey Vegan Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna will be a popular item on your holiday table. You might want to make two of them!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Vegan Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna with Creamy Basil Sauce

Ingredients

For the Creamy Basil Sauce:

• 1 cup raw cashews Soak them if you don't have a high powered blender like a VitaMix
• 2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced I'm a garlic lover and I use 4 big cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
• 8 oz firm tofu drained, not pressed
• 1/2+ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt optional
• 1 tsp onion powder optional

For the Lasagna:

• 1 10oz package lasagna noodles I use Tinkyáda brand brown rice pasta
• 4 cups pasta sauce I used about 1.5 jars (25 oz) of Trader Joe's Organic with Mushrooms Spaghetti Sauce to keep it oil-free
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2.5 cups onion, chopped 1/4"
• 2-3 cups zucchini, chopped 1/4"
• 3 cups cauliflower, riced
• 1-2 cups mushrooms, chopped 1/2" I've used white, baby bello and cremini with good results
• 2 cups spinach or other greens, chopped baby kale and chard work well.
• 2 patties pre-cooked veggie burger, crumbled optional
• 1 tsp salt optional
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme

Instructions

1. If you've soaked the cashews, drain and rinse them. 

2. Place cashews in the blender and add minced (or pressed through a garlic press) garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup broth or water, basil, nutritional yeast, tofu, salt, and onion powder.

3. Start blender on low and slowly increase speed until everything is incorporated. Add water or broth in small increments if necessary to get it all moving. 

4. Blend on high until it is very smooth. Set aside while you boil the water and cook the noodles. 

5. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pan, dry sauté onions and garlic over medium-low heat until soft and translucent. Add in all the other veggie ingredients and seasonings and sauté for another 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid is cooked off. Remove from heat.

6. Follow the instructions on the noodle package for cooking the noodles al dente. Rinse immediately with cold water. I lay them out on parchment paper, but you can leave them in the empty pot. If they stick you can run cold water on them to loosen and separate. 
   

7. Add about a cup of pasta sauce to the bottom of your casserole dish. I used a 9"x13" glass dish. Tip dish to spread the sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. 

8. Add a layer of noodles. Top with about a third of the basil sauce. Top that with half the vegetables. Add another layer of pasta sauce, another layer of noodles and veggie burger crumbles if using. 

9. Add about 1/2 of the remaining basil sauce, the rest of the vegetables, more pasta sauce and finally, the last of the basil sauce. 

10. If using the mozzarella, blop it all over the top. Dot with pasta sauce. 

11. Cover with parchment paper and foil, leaving a vented corner. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes and remove covering and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the top is bubbling and golden.