Vegan Cashew Ricotta Zucchini Lasagna- a light and healthy take on classic Italian lasagna made with cashew ricotta, marinara and fresh basil. Just as delicious and satisfying as the original! (gluten-free)
If you’re not vegan, please don’t let that word scare you away from this recipe! When I said in the description above that it’s just as good as the original, I meant it. In fact I’d feel confident serving it to the biggest cheese-lovers out there. Because I’m one of them. :)
This recipe is based off my Cashew Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells. They’re easily one of my favorite recipes on here because: a) they’re so simple to make and b) they’re a prime example of how amazing vegan food can be without the need for any funky ingredients or faux-meat.
I knew I wanted to create something else using that incredible cashew ricotta but I have to thank Kelli for inspiring this recipe. She wrote to me after trying my stuffed shells and suggested using the ricotta to make a zucchini lasagna. I loved that idea and immediately added it to my list.
In addition to the cashew ricotta, I incorporated the lentil mushroom marinara from my Spaghetti Squash Bowls. It adds more work to the recipe but I promise it’s worth it. Not just for nutrition, but also for flavor. However, you can always substitute your favorite marinara in it’s place.
Once you have the ricotta and the marinara made, it comes together super quick. All you have to do is slice the zucchini and layer it in a baking dish. There’s no boiling required!
The cashew ricotta gets spread on top of the zucchini then layered with marinara. You repeat that step three times, top with breadcrumbs mixed with nutritional yeast, then cover and bake for 30 minutes.
I was worried that it would be really watery or not hold together well but it turned out to be just the opposite. The cashew ricotta does a great job binding everything together and, surprisingly, there’s only a minimal amount of water produced by the zucchini.
If you’re new to plant-based eating or want to impress someone that’s skeptical about it, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try! It’s one of our favorites and I have a good feeling you’re going to love it too. :)
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
*Place 2 cups raw cashews in a large bowl and cover with water by a few inches. Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
**I prefer to make this with lentil mushroom marinara for extra protein and flavor but feel free to substitute your favorite marinara if you prefer. Depending on how flavorful your sauce is, you may want to add garlic and herbs to the cashew ricotta mixture. Also, please note that the recipe for the lentil mushroom marinara will make more than you need. I like to freeze the leftover sauce to add to pasta or zucchini noodles later on. If you don’t want leftovers, you can halve the recipe for the marinara.
Nutrition Facts are for 1/6th of recipe
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by rating the recipe, leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!