Vegan Pesto Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

This vegan pesto lasagna is filled with layers of dairy-free white sauce, pesto, tofu ricotta, and no-boil noodles! It's absolutely packed with flavor and tastes so great that you may not even notice it's vegan.

Lasagna is one of those dishes that is a labor of love. But what results from a fair amount of time spent in the kitchen is the ultimate comfort dish, and that's certainly the case here with this vegan pesto lasagna.

This vegan pesto lasagna consists of layers of homemade herby tofu ricotta (the same kind used in my recent vegan stuffed shells recipe), pesto, mushrooms with spinach, a dairy-free white sauce (similar to my garlic alfredo recipe), and no-boil noodles. All topped with vegan mozzarella-style cheese.

If you like pesto and lasagna, then you are sure to love this recipe.

What you'll need

• Pesto is traditionally made with cheese but vegan brands are out there. Check out this post about vegan pesto brands for ideas. Or you can make your own homemade pesto.
• No boil lasagna noodles provide the perfect amount of texture, whereas regular pasta noodles can become soggy while the lasagna cooks.
• White sauce is made using unsweetened, unflavored soy milk (but any non-dairy milk works), all-purpose flour, and olive oil. This is a bechamel-style sauce I use in many, many vegan recipes (like sausage gravy, squash casserole, etc.)
• Mushrooms and spinach make up the veggie layer. Baby bella mushrooms are my go-to but white mushrooms also work. You can use fresh or frozen spinach, just make sure the frozen spinach is completely thawed and excess liquid is removed before using.
• Vegan cheese: I love Trader Joe's shredded dairy-free mozzarella cheese, but any mozzarella-style cheese works. You can even make your own homemade vegan mozzarella!
• Tofu ricotta is a dairy-free ricotta alternative that works perfectly in vegan lasagna. I like to add herbs like basil and parsley, but you can stick to a plain ricotta if you prefer.

How to make

Lasagna is all about the layers. But first, we need to assemble all of the pesto lasagna components, starting with the tofu ricotta.

Making the lasagna fillings

Tofu ricotta (5 minutes): Add tofu, olive oil, and lemon juice to a food processor with a standard blade attachment. This can also be done by hand with a potato masher.

Process until smooth, then add in remaining ingredients and process again until smooth. I have a full blog post on tofu ricotta that includes additional tips, substitutes, and variations.

New to cooking vegan sauces and gravies? Check out my complete guide on how to make vegan bechamel sauce to learn more about the roux method used in this recipe.

White sauce (10 minutes): Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

1. Add olive oil and flour. Saute for 1-2 minutes to "cook" the flour. Slowly whisk in the soy milk ¼ cup at a time to form a thick paste.
2. Slowly add all of the soy milk to the dish, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon without sliding off.

Veggies: Cook mushrooms and shallots in olive oil over medium-high heat until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about one minute.

Assembling the lasagna

1. Spread ½ cup white sauce on the bottom of an 8x11 or similarly sized casserole dish. Add 3 no-boil lasagna noodles, or as many as needed to fully cover the bottom of the dish. Top with ¼ cup white sauce. Make sure the noodles are fully coated in sauce.
2. Spread ½ cup tofu ricotta across the noodles. Top with half of the veggies.
3. Top with ⅓ cup pesto. I like to dollop the pesto but you can also spread it.
4. Top with 3 noodles, or as many as needed to fully cover the dish. Top the noodles with ¼ cup white sauce, spreading to thoroughly coat.
5. Add ½ cup tofu ricotta and remaining vegetables. Top with ⅓ cup pesto.
6. Top with 3 noodles. Add remaining white sauce to thoroughly coat the noodles. Top with 1 cup vegan mozzarella.
7. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. The lasagna is ready when bubbling and hot throughout.

Expert tips and recipe FAQ

• Wait before slicing: Let the lasagna cool at least 10 minutes before serving. This helps the pieces stay together while slicing and lasagna is very hot when it comes out of the oven.
• Homemade vegan pesto can be used instead of storebought. My go-to recipe for vegan pesto is made by blending together 2 cups basil, 2 cups spinach, ¼ cup olive oil, juice from one lemon, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt. You can omit spinach and use 4 cups basil if desired. My avocado pesto and pine-nut-free pesto also go so well in this lasagna.
• Lasagna size: I cooked this lasagna in an 8x11 glass baking dish. It should also work in a 9x9 or similarly sized dish. It's okay if the lasagna noodles overlap a little, but try to avoid too much overlap or too much space between noodles.

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📖 Recipe

Author's note: This recipe was originally shared in July 2018. It was updated in February 2022 with new photos, a video, and an improved recipe.