Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
  • 30 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 14 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 9 oz no-boil vegan lasagna noodles
  • 5 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1.5 cups vegan mozzarella shreds
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for topping

Instructions:

  1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat a splash of water or oil in a large skillet and add your diced onions and mushrooms. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes until the mushrooms are mahogany colored and the onions are translucent.
  2. Build the bolognese. Stir the minced garlic, rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oregano, and smoked paprika into the mushroom mixture. Note: The vinegar helps break down the lentils more effectively while adding brightness.
  3. Simmer to perfection. Lower the heat and let the bolognese simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened. If it looks too dry, add 50ml of water.
  4. Process the ricotta. While the sauce simmers, crumble the pressed tofu into a food processor. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, salt, and almond milk. Pulse until the mixture looks like grainy ricotta cheese, about 45-60 seconds.
  5. Prep the spinach. Briefly steam or dry-sauté the baby spinach in a separate pan for 2 minutes until completely wilted. Transfer to a towel and squeeze out every drop of excess moisture.
  6. Start the assembly. Spread 1 cup of the lentil bolognese across the bottom of your 9x13 pan. Note: This prevents the bottom noodles from sticking and ensures they cook evenly.
  7. Layer the pasta. Place a single layer of no boil noodles over the sauce. Top with half of the tofu ricotta, spreading it gently to the edges.
  8. Add the greens. Distribute half of the squeezed spinach over the ricotta, then top with another layer of bolognese and a second layer of noodles.
  9. Finish the structure. Repeat the layers — ricotta, spinach, bolognese — ending with a final layer of sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella shreds and the almond flour/nutritional yeast mixture over the top.
  10. Bake and rest. Cover with foil and bake at 190°C for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing to set the layers. If you find yourself craving a different style of layering or want to see how this compares to traditional meat versions, check out this [Classic beef lasagna](https://tastyquickyrecipes.com/recipes/classic-beef-lasagna-recipe/) for a reference on traditional structural techniques. While the ingredients differ, the logic of the layer remains the same across all lasagna varieties.