Vegan Lasagna With Spinach – Creamy, Cheesy Baked Dinner

The first time I ate a proper vegan lasagna was in a tiny plant-based trattoria tucked down a side alley in Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood. The owner slid a bubbling ceramic dish onto my table, and the smell of roasted garlic and basil hit me before I even picked up a fork. I scraped the crispy corner edges with a spoon, and right then I knew: this was not a sad vegetable bake pretending to be lasagna. This was the real thing.

Back home, I rebuilt that memory in my own kitchen, swapping dairy béchamel for a silky cashew cream that clings to every noodle, and layering in spinach that I wilt down with plenty of garlic so it never turns watery. The trick, learned from a market vendor in Rome who sold me a bundle of spinach for two euros, is squeezing the greens bone-dry before they touch the pan. That single step is the difference between a solid, sliceable lasagna and a soupy mess.

This is the kind of dish I make when I want to feed a table of people, vegan or not, without anyone feeling like they got the compromise plate. It bakes up golden on top, holds its layers when you cut it, and tastes even better the next day. Budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and endlessly forgiving. Hasta la próxima!

About the Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles (about 10 oz / 280g), regular or oven-ready

Regular noodles need a 5-minute par-boil so they stay al dente; oven-ready ones save time but need a slightly wetter sauce. If you are gluten-free, look for brown rice lasagna sheets and add 2 extra tablespoons of water to the béchamel.

1 1/2 cups (210g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water 30 minutes

Soaking is non-negotiable for a smooth cream; if you forgot, boil them 10 minutes instead. Blanched almonds or raw sunflower seeds work as a swap, though sunflower seeds turn the sauce slightly gray.

1 lb (450g) fresh spinach, or 10 oz (280g) frozen, thawed

Fresh spinach gives the best texture, but frozen is fine and cheaper; just squeeze it hard in a clean towel. Baby kale or Swiss chard are excellent substitutes if spinach looks tired at the market.

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan

Use a fruity, everyday olive oil, not your expensive finishing bottle. Avocado oil works if you want a neutral flavor.

1 large yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups / 200g), finely diced

Yellow onion gives sweetness; red onion is sharper and will tint the sauce pink. Shallots are a lovely, milder swap if you have them.

6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tbsp)

Fresh garlic only here, please; the jarred stuff tastes flat in a baked dish. If garlic bothers you, use 4 cloves and add 1/2 tsp onion powder.

3 cups (720ml) unsweetened plain oat milk, divided

Oat milk is the creamiest plant milk for béchamel; soy milk works nearly as well. Avoid almond milk, which is too thin, and never use sweetened or vanilla-flavored.

1/4 cup (30g) nutritional yeast

This is your cheesy, savory backbone; buy large-flake if you can. A tablespoon of white miso paste adds the same umami if you are out of nutritional yeast.

2 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch

Tapioca gives a stretchier, more cheese-like set; cornstarch is fine and more common. Do not skip this or the béchamel will not thicken.

1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper

Dried herbs bloom in the warm sauce; if you have fresh basil, add it after baking as a garnish instead. Crushed fennel seed is a nice secret addition for sausage-like depth.

1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the pasta water

Kosher salt works too; add it gradually and taste the béchamel before layering. If your marinara is very salty, cut this to 1 tsp.

3 cups (720ml) good-quality marinara sauce

Use a jarred sauce you would actually eat with a spoon; Rao's or a local brand beats cheap sauce here. Fire-roasted tomato sauce adds a lovely smoky edge.

Tips & Tricks

Squeeze the Spinach Like You Mean It

Watery spinach is the number one cause of soupy vegan lasagna, so wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring until no more liquid drips out.

Season the Cashew Cream Aggressively

Plant-based sauces taste flat when under-seasoned, so taste the béchamel and add salt until it tastes slightly saltier than you think it should.

Let It Rest Before Cutting

Ten minutes out of the oven lets the starch set, so your slices come out clean instead of collapsing into a pile.

Cover With Foil, Then Uncover

Baking covered for the first 25 minutes steams the noodles tender, then 15 minutes uncovered gives you that golden, bubbling top.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soak and Blend the Cashews

Drain the soaked cashews and blend with 2 cups (480ml) of the oat milk on high for a full 2 minutes until completely smooth and glossy, scraping down the sides once. If your blender struggles, add the remaining 1 cup oat milk a splash at a time.

2. Wilt the Spinach

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (about 350F / 175C) and cook the spinach in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until fully wilted and dark green. Transfer to a towel, let it cool slightly, then squeeze out every drop of liquid and roughly chop.

3. Build the Béchamel Base

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat (350F / 175C), add the onion, and cook 6 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned, then stir in the nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, oregano, basil, pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt for 30 seconds.

4. Finish the Cream Sauce

Pour in the blended cashew mixture and cook over medium-low heat (about 300F / 150C) for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and bubbles lazily at the edges. Stir the chopped spinach into the sauce and taste for salt.

5. Par-Boil the Noodles

If using regular noodles, boil them in well-salted water for 5 minutes, just shy of al dente, then drain and lay them flat on a lightly oiled sheet pan so they do not stick. Oven-ready noodles skip this step entirely.

6. Layer the Lasagna

Spread 1 cup marinara across the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking dish, add a layer of 4 noodles, then 1 cup spinach-cashew sauce, then 3/4 cup marinara. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the reserved 1/2 cup béchamel spread edge to edge on top.

7. Bake Until Golden

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375F (190C) for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15 to 18 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown, the sauce bubbles at the edges, and the center registers about 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.

8. Rest, Slice, and Serve

Let the lasagna rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing so the layers set, then cut into 6 generous squares. Scatter with fresh basil and serve with a crisp green salad and warm garlic bread.

Delicious Variations

Mushroom and Walnut Ragu

Swap half the marinara for a hearty mushroom-walnut mixture cooked with soy sauce for a meaty, umami-packed layer.

Spicy Arrabbiata Version

Use spicy arrabbiata sauce and double the red pepper flakes, then finish with sliced pickled jalapeños on top.

Butternut and Sage

Replace the spinach with roasted butternut squash cubes and add crispy fried sage leaves between the layers for a cozy autumn twist.

How to Store Vegan Lasagna With Spinach

Frequently Asked Questions

Grab a 9×13 dish, crank your oven to 375F (190C), and build this lasagna tonight, then tell me in the comments how your table reacted. If you make it, tag me in your photos so I can see those golden, bubbling corners, and share it with the one friend who swears vegan food can never be comfort food. Hasta la próxima!

Vegan Lasagna With Spinach

Vegan lasagna with spinach layers tender noodles, garlicky greens, and creamy cashew béchamel into one bubbling, cheesy, crowd-pleasing bake.

★★★★½ 4.8 (213 ratings)

25 minPrep time45 minCook time6Servings412 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles (about 10 oz / 280g), regular or oven-ready
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water 30 minutes
• 1 lb (450g) fresh spinach, or 10 oz (280g) frozen, thawed
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 large yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups / 200g), finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tbsp)
• 3 cups (720ml) unsweetened plain oat milk, divided
• 1/4 cup (30g) nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 3 cups (720ml) good-quality marinara sauce

📋 Instructions

1. 1Soak and Blend the Cashews — Drain the soaked cashews and blend with 2 cups (480ml) of the oat milk on high for a full 2 minutes until completely smooth and glossy, scraping down the sides once. If your blender struggles, add the remaining 1 cup oat milk a splash at a time.
2. 2Wilt the Spinach — Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (about 350F / 175C) and cook the spinach in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until fully wilted and dark green. Transfer to a towel, let it cool slightly, then squeeze out every drop of liquid and roughly chop.
3. 3Build the Béchamel Base — In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat (350F / 175C), add the onion, and cook 6 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned, then stir in the nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, oregano, basil, pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt for 30 seconds.
4. 4Finish the Cream Sauce — Pour in the blended cashew mixture and cook over medium-low heat (about 300F / 150C) for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and bubbles lazily at the edges. Stir the chopped spinach into the sauce and taste for salt.
5. 5Par-Boil the Noodles — If using regular noodles, boil them in well-salted water for 5 minutes, just shy of al dente, then drain and lay them flat on a lightly oiled sheet pan so they do not stick. Oven-ready noodles skip this step entirely.
6. 6Layer the Lasagna — Spread 1 cup marinara across the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking dish, add a layer of 4 noodles, then 1 cup spinach-cashew sauce, then 3/4 cup marinara. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the reserved 1/2 cup béchamel spread edge to edge on top.
7. 7Bake Until Golden — Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375F (190C) for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15 to 18 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown, the sauce bubbles at the edges, and the center registers about 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
8. 8Rest, Slice, and Serve — Let the lasagna rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing so the layers set, then cut into 6 generous squares. Scatter with fresh basil and serve with a crisp green salad and warm garlic bread.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: The cashew béchamel thickens as it sits, so if you assemble ahead, loosen it with a splash of oat milk before layering. A lasagna that rests is a lasagna that slices, so be patient for those ten minutes.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Italian-American

Course: Dinner

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 14g protein · 48g carbs · 19g fat

Written by Diego Ramirez
Diego writes about travel and cultural immersion, focusing on off-the-beaten-path destinations. He shares stories from his backpacking trips and tips for authentic experiences.