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Vegan lentil lasagna in a white baking dish with golden béchamel top and one slice lifted to show layers

Vegan Lasagna with Lentils

A layered vegan lasagna built on a slow-cooked lentil and tomato ragù, with a dairy-free béchamel and oven-ready pasta sheets. Serves 6 generously.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lentil Ragù
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 300 g brown or green lentils, rinsed dry, not canned
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 125 ml dry red wine or vegetable stock with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 800 g canned crushed tomatoes two 400 g cans
  • 500 ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Dairy-Free Béchamel
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 60 g all-purpose flour
  • 900 ml unsweetened oat milk, warmed or unsweetened soy milk
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
Assembly
  • 250 g oven-ready lasagna sheets about 12 sheets, use gluten-free if needed

Method
 

Make the Lentil Ragù
  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and pale gold.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir for 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and smells rich.
  3. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble for 2 minutes until mostly absorbed.
  4. Add the rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the mixture is thick with very little liquid remaining. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt.
Make the Dairy-Free Béchamel
  1. Heat 60 ml olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes until the mixture turns a pale straw color and smells faintly nutty.
  2. Add the warm oat milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Keep whisking over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Remove from heat. Stir in the nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. The sauce should be thick but still pourable. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F.
  2. Spread a thin layer of béchamel across the bottom of a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.
  3. Lay a single layer of lasagna sheets over the béchamel. Break sheets to fit where needed.
  4. Spoon one third of the lentil ragù over the pasta in an even layer, then spread about one quarter of the remaining béchamel over it.
  5. Repeat the layers: pasta, ragù, béchamel. Do this twice more for three pasta layers total.
  6. Finish with a final layer of lasagna sheets and pour the remaining béchamel over the top, spreading it all the way to the edges so no pasta is exposed.
  7. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
  8. Remove from the oven and rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 6 equal portions. Values will vary depending on the brand of pasta and plant milk used.