Name: Recipe for Tofu-Vegetable Lasagna
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings
Cuisine: Entrees
Ingredients: 1 water; 1 raw cashews; 1/4 onion; 1 nutritional yeast flakes; 1 onion powder; 1/2 salt; 1/8 celery salt; 1/8 garlic powder; 2 lemon juice; 1 brick firm water-packed tofu; 1 Italian seasoning; 1/2 salt; 1/2 medium onion, chopped; 1 carrot grated on medium grater; 2 spinach leaves or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach; 1 small zucchini, sliced; 1 1/2-2 quarts spaghetti sauce without added oils, cheese, or high-fructose corn syrup; 9-12 whole wheat lasagna noodles

Square of lasagna on white counter with herb sprig garnish

Entrees Healthy, Plant-Based Comfort Food

Most people love lasagna, and this version won’t disappoint. The vegetables and whole grains used in this recipe give the dish a big nutritional boost, while the cashew cheese adds good flavor without all the bad fats found in real cheese or purchased vegan cheeses. The flavors improve as it stands, making the meal even tastier the next day.

Recipe courtesy of

Heather Leno

Prep Instructions

Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup onion
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 brick firm water-packed tofu
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot grated on medium grater
2 cups spinach leaves or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 1/2-2 quarts spaghetti sauce without added oils, cheese, or high-fructose corn syrup
9-12 whole wheat lasagna noodles

Place all cashew cheese ingredients in blender and blend until smooth; set aside.
Rinse and drain tofu. Mash with seasonings until it’s the consistency of cottage cheese; set aside.
Sauté onion and carrot in a nonstick frying pan, adding spinach and zucchini after 3–4 minutes. Continue to sauté until zucchini becomes tender. Set these ingredients aside to cool.
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay flat on a cookie sheet with parchment between the first and second layer of noodles.

To assemble:

Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch deep-sided dish with a layer of spaghetti sauce.
Lay noodles side by side on top of the sauce.
Spoon more sauce over the noodles.
Spoon half of the vegetables over the sauce.
Daub half of the tofu cheese over veggies.
Drizzle one-third of cashew cheese over everything.

Repeat steps 2–6.

Top with noodles, spoon sauce to cover, and drizzle with remaining cashew cheese. Cover and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes, or until cashew cheese is set. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: To make lasagna without precooking the noodles, make sure you have plenty of sauce for the noodles to soak up while they are cooking, or the pasta will become pasty. Leave half an inch between noodles and at the ends of your baking dish so the noodles can expand without buckling.