Enjoy this Easy Meatless Lasagna that can be made vegan or vegetarian.
I like that this recipe is also friendly to the Mediterranean diet!
Easy Meatless Lasagna
Yes, lasagna does not have to have meat in it to taste good.
This is a fabulous tasting example of a good tasting meatless lasagna!
If you liked my Skillet Spaghetti For Two then you will probably like this recipe too.
Yes, both recipes are for a great tasting pasta dinner using popular kinds of pasta. However, this recipe for lasagna is a meatless recipe that is baked just as traditional lasagna.
Do you want to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet?
Find out how to follow the Mediterranean Diet here.
At first I was wondering, what can I use in lasagna instead of meat.
That is because of the Mediterranean diet telling us to limit meat intake. Looking for delicious recipes that do not necessarily include meat has become my recent passion.
There are easy substitutes for meat that work well in this recipe.
Yes, vegetables are always a good fill-in for meat in a recipe. Yet, if you are looking for that meat texture and look, you may want to check out meat substitutes such as some of these.
You may also be wondering if you need to put cheese on top of the lasagna.
Traditional lasagna is really about layering ingredients so that they can melt together in taste when the lasagna bakes in the oven. That top layer is usually some kind of cheese such as shredded mozzarella.
There are vegan alternatives to topping your meat lasagna with mozzarella cheese.
Obviously, you can choose to just not use cheese in your lasagna.
However, there is such a thing as vegan mozzarella that you could try instead. Please read the package label to make sure that your vegan mozzarella can be used in a recipe such as this one.
Tips Easy Meatless Lasagna
I just mentioned that vegans can try using a vegan mozzarella in place of the shredded mozzarella. Also, I mentioned that while you could use vegetables to fill in for the missing meat in your lasagna, you could also check out meat substitutes such as some of these.
Here are some more great tips for you.
- This meatless lasagna can be made in advance. Simply assemble the ingredients and cover well. You can store you lasagna in the refrigerator for a day or in the freezer longer.
- Normal lasagna is usually made with ricotta cheese. Vegans can sub in a vegan ricotta cheese or tofu.
- This is an 'easy' recipe so I am suggesting that you use a premade pasta sauce. Vegans can use a vegan pasta sauce. Or, you can make your own pasta sauce.
- Since this is a Mediterranean diet focused site, I am including whole wheat lasagna noodles in the ingredient list. However, you are welcome to use any kind of lasagna noodle including vegan lasagna or gluten free lasagna.
Some people wonder if they should cover the lasagna with foil while baking.
The answer to that is both yes and no. Lasagna that is baked uncovered tends to dry out while lasagna that is covered can have issues with the cheese not fully melting in a 'lasagna way'.
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So we will do both cover and not cover.
You should cover the lasagna with foil long enough to cook through, about halfway through baking. Then, remove the foil and allow the lasagna to bake through.
There are some questions to how many layers to have and how to layer your lasagna.
Layers are indeed important to the structure and taste of lasagna. Having said that, while 'experts' may say there should be four layers of noodles, that may seem like a lot of noodles to some folks. I like to have a bottom layer of sauce (easy pan clean up if anything) and then top my last layer of noodles with cheese and sauce and then grated or shredded cheese on top.
By the way, while you are here you may also be interested in these ideas.
- How to make the perfect marinara sauce with wine.
- The best easy Italian Bruschetta.
- How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet.
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Easy Meatless Lasagna
Easy Meatless Lasagna
Earlier I mentioned that normal lasagna is usually made with ricotta cheese. Vegans can sub in a vegan ricotta cheese or tofu.
This is an 'easy' recipe so I am suggesting that you use a premade pasta sauce.
Vegans can use a vegan pasta sauce. Or, you can make your own pasta sauce.
Lastly, you have options for the lasagna noodles that you use in this recipe.
I am including whole wheat lasagna noodles in the ingredient list. However, you are welcome to use any kind of lasagna noodle including vegan lasagna or gluten free lasagna.
Easy Meatless Lasagna
- Lasagna Noodles- 12 noodles cooked according to the packaging. Allow the noodles to cool. You can use whole wheat lasagna noodles , regular lasagna noodles, vegan lasagna or even gluten free lasagna
- Ricotta Cheese- 2 cups. Vegan can use vegan ricotta cheese or tofu.
- Parmesan Cheese- ½ cup divided, grated. Vegans can use a vegan parmesan cheese alternative.
- Pasta Sauce - 28-32 ounce jar or can. Vegans can use a vegan pasta sauce. Or, you can make your own pasta sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese- 2 cups shredded or grated. Vegans can try using a vegan mozzarella .
- Italian Seasoning- 1-2 teaspoons or as desired.
- Salt, and/or Pepper- as desired.
- Optional- Meat alternative such as a plant based meat cooked according to directions.
Easy Meatless Lasagna
- Preheat your oven to 350. Prep a 9X13 baking dish for nonstick.
- Prepare your noodles as indicted on the packaging. Allow the noodles to cool to touch.
- In a medium mixing bowl mix together the ricotta cheese with half of the parmesan cheese. You can add any desired seasonings to this bowl as well.
- Start your layering by spreading about a third of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. If you are adding a plant based meat alternative then simply add it with the sauce in this recipe. Cover this with a layer of noodles.
- Next, spread half of the ricotta and parmesan mixture over the noodles and then cover this with another layer of noodles.
- Cover the noodles with half of the remaining sauce. Next, cover this sauce with the remaining ricotta and parmesan mixture. Then cover this with the remaining noodles.
- Next, spread the remaining sauce of the noodles and then any remaining cheese on top of that. Feel free to add additional cheese as desired.
- Loosley cover your lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the lasagna to cook for another 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Allow the lasagna to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Please note that baking times are geared toward actual dairy products. You may need to adjust your times according to any alternatives that you are using in this recipe.
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Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can thus, vary especially with ingredients that are used.
This delicious Mediterranean diet friendly and Easy Meatless Lasagna can be made vegetarian are vegan as well.
Easy Meatless Lasagna
Ingredients
- Lasagna Noodles- 12 noodles cooked according to the packaging. Allow the noodles to cool. You can use whole wheat lasagna noodles regular lasagna noodles, vegan lasagna or even gluten free lasagna
- Ricotta Cheese– 2 cups. Vegan can use vegan ricotta cheese or tofu.
- Parmesan Cheese– ½ cup divided grated. Vegans can use a vegan parmesan cheese alternative.
- Pasta Sauce – 28-32 ounce jar or can. Vegans can use a vegan pasta sauce. Or you can make your own pasta sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese– 2 cups shredded or grated. Vegans can try using a vegan mozzarella.
- Italian Seasoning– 1-2 teaspoons or as desired.
- Salt and/or Pepper– as desired.
- Optional- Meat alternative such as a plant based meat cooked according to directions.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350. Prep a 9X13 baking dish for nonstick.
- Prepare your noodles as indicted on the packaging. Allow the noodles to cool to touch.
- In a medium mixing bowl mix together the ricotta cheese with half of the parmesan cheese. You can add any desired seasonings to this bowl as well.
- Start your layering by spreading about a third of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. If you are adding a plant based meat alternative then simply add it with the sauce in this recipe. Cover this with a layer of noodles.
- Next, spread half of the ricotta and parmesan mixture over the noodles and then cover this with another layer of noodles.
- Cover the noodles with half of the remaining sauce. Cover this sauce with the remaining ricotta and parmesan mixture. Then cover this with the remaining noodles.
- Next, spread the remaining sauce of the noodles and then any remaining cheese on top of that. Feel free to add additional cheese as desired.
- Loosley cover your lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the lasagna to cook for another 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Allow the lasagna to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Please note that baking times are geared toward actual dairy products. You may need to adjust your times according to any alternatives that you are using in this recipe.
Recipe Notes
This is an ‘easy’ recipe so I am suggesting that you use a premade pasta sauce.
Vegans can use a vegan pasta sauce. Or, you can make your own pasta sauce.Lastly, you have options for the lasagna noodles that you use in this recipe.
I am including whole wheat lasagna noodles in the ingredient list. However, you are welcome to use any kind of lasagna noodle including vegan lasagna or gluten free lasagna.originally posted:
February 28, 2020*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that the links on this website, and specifically on this post, that lead to other sites may be affiliate links.
Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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