Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna with Easy Tofu Ricotta

Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna with Easy Tofu Ricotta

Today we are making Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna with an Easy Tofu Ricotta recipe! So I had sweet potatoes at home and was craving lasagna. It’s the perfect comfort food (and a family favorite) when I want a warm meal that isn’t soup, a noodle dish or a curry. I thought long and hard about what to do with them. Do I stir fry, roast, bake, boil, make soup? Then I thought what IF … I didn’t use classic lasagna noodles in my recipe? What if I was able to just replace them with potatoes? It would definitely cut out the heavy feeling of eating a stuffed lasagna dinner (and I won’t feel like falling asleep after dinner time)?!

Well structurally, traditional lasagna needs a minimum of 2 layers to maintain that status. It needs a sauce layer + a layer of noodles + at least 1 inner filling. Lo and behold, the end result is right there in the photo. This was the recipe I decided to throw together – sweet potatoes, vegan pesto, pasta sauce, spinach and tofu ricotta. it was absolutely a delicious recipe, and what a twist – no pasta to be seen in sight! I didn’t even have to boil the potatoes in advance, and it only took 15 minutes to prepare and throw in the oven. Keep scrolling to find the full recipe with instructions below!

Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna with Easy Tofu Ricotta

High Protein: This easy vegan lasagna recipe uses homemade vegan ricotta cheese – dairy-free and made with tofu! Cashew ricotta cheese is also quite common, with cashew nut being used as the base for many dairy-free cheese substitutes. However, this recipe is much higher in protein and nut-free. This is a win because it’s a vegan, nut-free, gluten-free and high-protein recipe, which is great for many different dietary restrictions.

Full of Vitamins: The sweet potatoes that act as the vegetable lasagna base here are full of vitamins, from Vitamins A, B, C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and more! Vitamins A and C support immune function, especially during the winter season. Regularly adding them into your diet will definitely help when flu season comes around, plus sweet potatoes are delicious in savory recipes!

Substitutions: Lasagna

Sweet Potatoes: Use regular potatoes, or you can even make zucchini lasagna with strips of zucchini instead of the sweet potatoes! The baking time will be shorter if using zucchini, but many different vegetables (even eggplant) can substitute as layers instead of regular lasagna noodles, albeit changing the amount of time required in the oven.

Pesto: You can find a vegan version of pesto in vegan-specific grocery stores, online, or sometimes in the vegan section of the general grocery store. Some stores may not have vegan pesto at all, so if you can’t find it, feel free to omit it completely. Regular pesto won’t be vegan, as it contains parmesan cheese.

Pasta Sauce: Many red pasta sauces (or marinara sauce) are already vegan! Just check the ingredient label for whether it contains milk, milk powder, ground beef or any other animal products. I like a garlic tomato or red pepper pasta sauce for this recipe. If using plain tomato sauce, then add in a homemade Italian seasoning mix to the sauce. You can make this at home by mixing dried basil, oregano and thyme, to add more flavor.

Spinach: I do not recommend another green to completely replace the spinach, because of its neutral taste. Any other greens will have a stronger taste. You can try to substitute with broccoli and a little bit of fresh basil though. I haven’t tried subbing in the entire 2-3 cups with just basil.

Substitutions: Tofu Ricotta

Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu, which is the firmest type available. Check the package label for the type of tofu before buying. Blending a softer tofu will make a vegan cheese sauce (and be more watery) as compared to a ricotta-cheese-like texture that you get with the extra-firm version.

Lemon Juice: I haven’t tried any other substitute here, but a splash of apple cider vinegar may work in terms of the acidity.

Nutritional Yeast: This is a cheesy-tasting powder that is also known as nooch. It’s made from a type of yeast, and is used in many cheesy recipes like vegan mac and cheese or queso. It’s flaky, yellow and is full of B vitamins, like B12. You can find this in the natural foods aisle of the grocery store, or in a health food store. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill nutritional yeast.

Note that nutritional yeast is also different from baker’s or brewer’s yeast, which is used in bread and beer. Do not substitute for any other type of yeast or cheese!

Lasagna & Tofu Ricotta Recipe Notes

• For a cheesier lasagna, sprinkle vegan cheese over the top layer before baking.

More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

Creamy Green Avocado Pasta: This is a Creamy Green Pasta that’s both vegan and easy to make gluten-free, filled with nutritious ingredients like avocado and spinach!

Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo: This Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce Recipe is perfectly creamy without any cream, nuts or dairy, with a hidden vegetable!

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust with Homemade Vegan Cheese: Make this Vegan Gluten Free Pizza Crust with brown rice flour to create a crispy and delicious base, topped with homemade mozzarella cheese!

Savoury Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk: These Savory Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk are an Indian-inspired side dish of stir fry ginger, garlic and cumin with sweet potatoes simmered in a coconut flavor!

Tofu Crust Pizza (One Ingredient!)

Southern Style Mashed Potatoes

If you make this Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna with Easy Tofu Ricotta, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!