This plant-based recipe for Spicy Vegan Eggplant Lasagna layers pasta with oil-free marinara, eggplant, and tofu ricotta. This healthy take on the Italian classic dish is whole foods and oil-free. The perfect meal for a comforting, weeknight dinner. Also, it’s a freezer-friendly recipe that works great for dinner parties.
How to Make Whole Foods, Plant-Based Vegan Lasagna
The word lasagne comes from the Italian word for “layers”. Therefore, a traditional lasagna is just that: layers. These layers in a traditional recipe are comprised of flat lasagna noodles, marinara tomato sauce, a meat or veggie filling, and a ricotta cheese mixture. Given this basic premise of layering noodles, sauce, filling, and cheese, it’s quite easy to make a whole foods, plant-based vegan lasagna.
- Noodles — Flat, lasagna noodles are already vegan and plant-based. If you want a whole foods version, look for whole wheat, brown rice, or a whole grain lasagna noodle. I prefer using white no boil noodles because they’re easy to find and easy to use. However, use whatever noodle you like. Just be sure to check if you need to boil the noodles before using in lasagna.
- Marinara Sauce — Again, marinara sauce is already vegan and plant-based. You can make your own oil-free sauce if you like, using my recipe for Oil-Free Marinara. Or, check for oil-free/fat-free sauces at your local grocer. I love using the Whole Foods’ 360 storebrand of Fat Free Marinara.
- Veggie Filling — Here’s where you can let your plant-based imagination soar. I love the spicy eggplant used in the recipe, but you can also saute mushrooms, onion, spinach, and bell peppers. While traditional recipes might have ground meat, you can add extra protein with vegan alternatives like lentils, crumbled tempeh, plant-based “meat”, soy crumbles, or shredded jackfruit.
- Ricotta Cheese — Instead of traditional dairy ricotta, make a plant-based version. The recipe here uses a tofu ricotta. However, you can also make a 5-Minute Vegan Macadamia Nut Ricotta “Geez!” or any other version of vegan ricotta that you like.
- Cheesy Topping — Most lasagna is topped with an extra layer of cheese, like Mozzarella or an Italian blend. You have a few options for this layer. First, you can just skip it (especially if you’re not that big into cheese). Second, you can sprinkle with 5-Minute Vegan Cashew “Parm”. Or, third, you can buy a store-bought vegan mozzarella that you like. However, know that these storebought vegan cheese are highly-processed and often contain lots of oil and salt.
What to Serve with Your Plant-Based Vegan Spicy Eggplant Lasagna
This dish goes great with: Kale Avocado Salad, Caesar Salad, Lacinato Kale Waldorf Salad, and Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Top with 5-Minute Vegan Cashew “Parm” and enjoy Vegan Tofu Lemon Curd with Berries or Vegan Pecan Shortbread Cookies for dessert.
If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy: Gluten-Free Pasta with Oil-Free Garlic Tomato Sauce, Spicy Calabrian Style Whole Wheat Plant-Based Pasta Shells, Pasta “alla Norma” – Eggplant with Gluten-Free Chickpea Cavatappi Pasta and Spicy Red Sauce, and Ultimate Southwest Sweet Potato Vegan Lasagna
More of Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, and oil is the most calorie-dense food. For this recipe, roasted cashews and macadamia nuts add rich, nutty flavor, while also bringing healthy fiber and key nutrients. You can substitute with other roasted nuts and seeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds are my favorites).
Freezer-Friendly: This lasagna is incredibly freezer-friendly. I always make a full (or even double) recipe, even if I’m just cooking for myself. Later, I pull out a slice (or two) the night before and thaw out in the fridge. Then, a satisfying, delicious plant-based dinner is waiting for me at the end of a long day.
Spicy Vegan Eggplant Lasagna – Plant-Based Oil-Free
- Servings: 4
- Ready In: 80 minutes
- Yield: one 9×9 tray
Spicy Vegan Eggplant Lasagna – Plant-Based Oil-Free
Ingredients
For the Eggplant Filling:
- 1 medium eggplant about 1 pound, cut into large dice
- 1 onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tablespoon red chili flake
- Dash of salt
For the Tofu Ricotta:
- 1 16 ounce package extra firm high protein tofu (like Wildwood brand)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
To Assemble the Lasagna:
- 15 sheets no-boil lasagna pasta noodles about 12 ounces
- 40 ounces (5 cups) fat-free Marinara like the Whole Foods’ 365 brand
- 2 tablespoons Cashew Parm optional, to garnish after baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Use a large 9×9 square glass baking dish (or line a metal pan with parchemnt).
To brown the eggplant:
- Preheat a wide saute pan over medium heat while you dice the eggplant and onion.
- Saute the eggplant and onion in the pan, stirring often. Cook until both have begun to brown and soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, red chili flake, and a splash of water. Use a firm wooden spoon to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and set aside.
- While the eggplant cooks, you can prepare your tofu ricotta.
To make the Tofu Ricotta:
- Remove the tofu from its packaging, being sure to drain off any liquid.
- In a medium bowl, combine to tofu, lemon juice, parsley, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, and a dash of salt and pepper. Use your CLEAN hands to squish up the tofu, crumbling it until it resembles ricotta cheese. Set aside until ready to use.
To Assemble and Bake the Lasagna:
- Pour 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of your baking dish, enough to cover the bottom. Add a layer of 3 no-boil lasagna noodles.
- Spread about 1/2 of the eggplant mixture over the the noodles. Pour 1 cup of the marinara over the eggplant, spreading evenly.
- Add a layer of 3 no-boil lasagna noodles.
- Spread 1/2 of the Tofu Ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with a layer of 3 no-boil lasagna noodles. Pour 1 cup of marinara over the noodles.
- Repeat this layering again: eggplant, sauce, noodles, tofu ricotta, noodles, sauce. Finishing with extra sauce on top.
- If you have leftover sauce, that’s okay — try to pour it into the corners of your baking dish, but try not to overflow. Some baking dishes have more rounded corners and don’t hold quite as much sauce.
- Cover the lasagna loosely with foil. Bake for 60 minutes.
- Remove the cover and check the doneness of the noodles — a sharp knife should easily slide in and out.
- Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice into squares and sprinkle with Cashew Parm, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 415 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 8 g | 12 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 7 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 747 mg | 31 % |
| Potassium 946 mg | 27 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 65 g | 22 % |
| Dietary Fiber 10 g | 41 % |
| Sugars 12 g | |
| Protein 24 g | 49 % |
| Vitamin A | 4 % |
| Vitamin C | 9 % |
| Calcium | 71 % |
| Iron | 12 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- DeLallo Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
- 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Fat Free Marinara Pasta Sauce
- Bragg Premium Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
- Organic Crushed Red Pepper
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