So, this vegan Four Seasons Lasagna is a bit of a project, but trust me, it’s totally worth it! We’re talking layers of mouthwatering roasted veggies like tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, garlic, and mushrooms all nestled in between those lasagna noodles. And to tie it all together, a creamy Bechamel sauce, and buttery, breadcumbs sprinkled on top for a delectable crunch.
Recipe tips
When it comes to this tasty lasagna recipe, we are going roast those veggies first to really amp up the flavor. And there’s no need to boil those pasta noodles beforehand, they’ll cook up perfectly right in the lasagna as it bakes.
Now, instead of using cheese, we’re going to whip up a creamy, “cheesy”, Bechamel sauce that’s made with soy milk. You can swap it out with another plant milk if you prefer, just make sure it’s plain and unsweetened.
Oh, and here’s the secret ingredient for that cheesy flavor: nutritional yeast, or as we cool folks call it, “nooch”. It’s this super tasty deactivated yeast that adds a savory, cheesy, umami kick to your dishes. Plus, it’s a hit in the vegan cooking world because it’s packed with protein. Can’t go wrong with that, right?
Enjoy!
We think you’ll love this, too!
Four Seasons Lasagna
Equipment
- 8 x 11 baking dish
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 6 large plum tomatoes about 2½ pounds, cut in ¼ inch slices
- 1 large eggplant cut in ¼ rounds
- 3 cups cauliflower cut into bite sized chunks
- 1 large onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 lb spinach fresh or frozen
- 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
Bechamel Sauce
- 8 tablespoons vegan butter
- 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups unsweetened soy milk or your favorite unsweetened plant milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
Optional topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
Instructions
For the roasted vegetables
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Toss the sliced tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt & pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a couple of baking sheets. Roast for about 20 minutes until caramelized.Once the tomatoes are roasted, transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.
- Toss the eggplant slices and the cauliflower chunks in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a couple of baking trays. Roast for about 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Over medium-high heataute the sliced onions, mushrooms, and garlic, in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt & pepper and dried oregano. Set aside.
Bechamel sauce
- In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the vegan butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until smooth.
- While whisking, pour in the soy milk. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the nutritional yeast, thyme, and salt & pepper to taste.
Crunchy topping
- Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Set aside.
To assemble the lasagna
- Spread about half of the tomato puree in the bottom of an 8 x 11 baking dish.
- Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on top.
- Layer with half of the eggplant slices, half of the cauliflower, half of the onion/mushroom mixture, and half the spinach.
- Spread 1 cup of the Bechamel over the vegetables.
- Place three more lasagna noodles on top of the Bechamel.
- Spread the remaining tomato puree over the noodles.
- Layer the remaining eggplant, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms and spinach over the tomatoes.
- Pour 1 cup of the Bechamel sauce over the vegetables.
- Layer the final three lasagna noodles on top.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup of the Bechamel over the top and smooth out.
- Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the Bechamel.
- Bake for about one hour, at 375℉, until the the top of the lasagna is golden.
- Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
OMG! This is the recipe I was searching for! My in-laws are coming over this weekend, and I need a vegan (they are not vegan) dinner idea that will totally impress them! Quick question though, they can only have gluten-free food, so I’ll be using gluten-free pasta, but can I make the bechamel sauce gluten-free too?
Hi Melinda!
You can definitely make the Bechamel sauce Gluten-free, by substituting the flour with cornstarch. Cornstarch is a great thickener but you have to use 1/2 as much cornstarch as you would flour.
To make GF Bechamel for the lasagna, bring 3 cups of plant-based milk to a simmer. Make a slurry, by mixing 3 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp water and mix. Pour the slurry into the milk and cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir.
I hope your in-laws love it!