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Vegan Zucchini Lasagna

Vegan zucchini lasagna with lentil Bolognese and a creamy cashew ricotta layer. No noodles—thin zucchini planks roast and bake up tender, with a golden vegan cheese top.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini layers
  • 4 large zucchini sliced into thin planks
  • 1 tsp salt for sweating
Lentil Bolognese
  • 1 cup green or brown lentils cooked
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 carrots finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Cashew ricotta
  • 2 cups raw cashews soaked 4 hours and drained
  • 1 0.5 cup water
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded vegan mozzarella

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Prep the zucchini
  1. Salt the zucchini planks and let sit for 20 minutes, then pat very dry.
  2. Roast the zucchini planks at 425°F for 10 minutes to remove extra moisture, then set aside.
Make the lentil Bolognese
  1. Sauté the onion and carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the cooked lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Make cashew ricotta
  1. Blend the soaked cashews with water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper until very smooth and creamy.
Assemble and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a 9x13 dish, layer lentil sauce, zucchini planks, cashew ricotta, then repeat until you finish with lentil sauce and the vegan mozzarella on top.
  3. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake 12–15 minutes until the top is golden.
  4. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing to help the layers set.

Notes

To prevent watery layers, pat the zucchini planks very dry after salting and roasting. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a nut-free option, replace cashews with a firm tofu “ricotta” blitzed until smooth, while keeping the same bake timing.