Vegan White Lasagna

Layers of tender lasagna noodles, vegan ricotta, creamy alfredo sauce, spinach, and peas come together for a super dreamy, creamy, crowd-pleasing vegan white lasagna (aka vegetable lasagna alfredo) the whole family will love!

Jump to:

• Creamy Vegan White Lasagna with Ricotta, Spinach & Peas
• The Ingredients and Substitutes
• The Add-ins and Variations:
• How to Make Vegan White Lasagna
• FAQs
• Pro Recipe Notes and Tips
• What To Serve With Vegan White Lasagna?
• Storage Instructions
• More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
• Vegan White Lasagna

Creamy Vegan White Lasagna with Ricotta, Spinach & Peas

With spring just around the corner, my regular comfort foods are getting a seasonal makeover. Super hearty stews are being swapped for lighter soups like spring veg and mushroom miso soup, and my regular red sauce lasagna is stepping aside for this lighter, creamy vegan white lasagna recipe.

If you’ve always loved the creamy white sauce in regular lasagna, then get ready to fall in love with this white sauce heavy vegetable alfredo lasagna (also called lasagna primavera). When combined with a herby ricotta layer and spinach and peas, this white veggie lasagna is super luscious, creamy, and satisfying, yet somehow still ‘fresh’ and light enough for Spring/Summer.

Best of all, using a combination of no-boil lasagna sheets, frozen vegetables, and a food processor, you can get it in the oven FAST and with minimal effort (and less clean-up). Plus, it’s really easy to adapt it with all your favorite fresh, seasonal, and local veggies. Family and guests will clamor for seconds!

The Ingredients and Substitutes

Vegan Alfredo Sauce:

• Cashews: Use raw, unsalted cashews to make the rich, creamy base of this vegan white sauce. For a nut-free alternative, try soaked sunflower seeds.
• Vegetable broth: Use high-quality veg broth (reduced sodium if preferred).
• Cornstarch: This will help thicken the vegan white sauce.
• Black pepper: To season the sauce, to taste.
• Red pepper flakes: (Optional) To add subtle heat.

Other vegan white sauce/ bechamel sauce would work also well to make this vegetable lasagna with white sauce – whether with dairy alternatives, cauliflower, or store-bought.

Tofu Ricotta Cheese:

• Raw unsalted cashews: For the most neutral flavor, soak them first.
• Extra-firm tofu: This, combined with the cashews, helps to make a rich and creamy ricotta-like texture. For a soy-free option, try white beans.
• Olive oil: Or another neutral oil, like avocado oil – for richness.
• Water: To bring this vegan lasagna ricotta layer to the correct consistency.
• Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
• Lemon: Adds subtle tang (add ½ teaspoon lemon zest for extra brightness). Apple cider vinegar would also work.
• Italian seasoning: Or individual herbs like dried basil, oregano, and thyme.
• Red pepper flakes: To add subtle heat – adjust the amount to taste.
• Fresh basil
• Sea salt & black pepper

The Spinach Vegetable Lasagna Filling:

• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil, like vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Lasagna noodles: I used no-boil lasagna noodles. If you only have the boil type, cook them according to their package instructions first.
• Spinach: I use frozen spinach, fully thawed and squeezed of excess liquid. If you use fresh spinach, sauté it first to remove excess liquid.
• Peas: I used frozen peas – garden peas, petit pois, etc.
• Nutritional yeast: (or vegan parmesan) To sprinkle over the white vegetable lasagna.

The Add-ins and Variations:

• Vegan cheese: For more 'cheesy' flavor, sprinkle over vegan melty cheese (like cheddar or mozzarella).
• White miso paste: A small amount adds umami depth to the sauce or ricotta.
• Green vegetables: Make a delightful spring vegetable lasagna or simply boost your greens with vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, etc.
• Other vegetables: Chunks of sweeter veg like butternut squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin work well in a lasagna with spinach and ricotta. You could also add sauteed mushrooms, artichoke, bell pepper, sweetcorn, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.
• Pesto: Swirl some green pesto into the top vegan alfredo sauce layer.

How to Make Vegan White Lasagna

Prepare the Vegan Alfredo Sauce

• Add the cashews and vegetable broth to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Then add the black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) and pulse to distribute them.

• Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch, stirring it constantly over medium-high heat until it thickens (4-5 minutes). Set it aside to cool.

Prepare the Tofu Ricotta

• Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

• Taste the mixture and adjust any of the seasonings – then set aside.

Assemble the Veggie Lasagna with White Sauce

• Lightly oil a deep 9x13-inch baking dish. Then, add a cup of water and a layer of lasagna pasta sheets.

• Top that with ⅓ of the tofu ricotta mixture, half the spinach (one 10oz bag), and half the peas. Then, pour over a cup of the white sauce.

• Repeat the layers (pasta sheets, ricotta, leftover spinach & peas, 1 cup alfredo sauce).

• Add one more row of lasagna pasta sheets, top that with the remaining tofu ricotta and alfredo sauce, and sprinkle the nutritional yeast over the top.

• Tightly cover the dish with foil, then set it aside while you preheat the oven to 350F/177C.

This time allows the pasta sheets to start rehydrating.

• Transfer the white vegan lasagna to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until lightly brown on top.

After uncovering, make sure it doesn’t look dry or overly brown. If it is a little dry, add a few splashes of water around the edges of the lasagna.

• Finally, remove the vegan white lasagna from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes, then slice, serve, and enjoy!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Notes and Tips

• Check your lasagna sheets: This recipe uses no-boil lasagna sheets, which don’t require pre-cooking. If you only have regular ones, cook them first.
• Squeeze the spinach: Remove excess liquid to avoid soupy lasagna.
• Cover while baking: This ensures the top layers won’t dry out and traps in steam to cook the pasta. Then uncover in the last 10-15 mins for the delicious crispy edges.
• Leave it to rest: Just 10-15 minutes allows the filling to slightly cool/thicken for easier slicing.
• Experiment with add-ins: There are plenty of seasonal veg to experiment with for a delicious vegan alfredo lasagna every time.

What To Serve With Vegan White Lasagna?

Enjoy this creamy and indulgent yet light vegetable lasagna alfredo alone or with:

• A slice or two of garlic bread
• Vegan bruschetta or crostini (with tomato)
• A leafy green salad or other simple salad like tomato cucumber salad or vegan Greek salad or Mediterranean white bean salad
• A dollop of fresh ‘slaw'
• Roasted or steamed veggies like broccoli, asparagus, carrots, potatoes, etc.

Storage Instructions

Store: Allow the vegetable alfredo lasagna to cool, then store the leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Freeze: Freeze the lasagna in portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months (before or after baking). Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheat: Microwave portions of lasagna (2-3 minutes) or bake larger amounts at 350F/180C (20-30 minutes). Cover with foil to prevent them from drying.

More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

• One-Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper
• Easy Vegan Carbonara
• Creamy Gochujang Pasta [20-Minute Meal]
• Tuscan White Bean Pasta [With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes]
• Easy Vegan Tortellini Soup [Stove or Crockpot]

Photos by Alfonso Revilla