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Filled with homemade cashew ricotta and tempeh “beef”, this gluten-free and vegan zucchini noodle lasagna is a meal that the whole family will love.

I’ve been dreaming up this recipe for a while.

As someone who needs to limit my gluten but LOVES my pasta, life can be a bit of a challenge.

But then, a couple of years ago, I started hearing about zucchini noodles and I was beside myself with excitement. Pretty quickly after I discovered that gluten and I were not friends, I got myself a spiralizer and started making vegetable noodles.

After experimenting with zoodles for a while, I decided to take my experimenting to the next level. So I dusted off the old mandoline and made some zucchini lasagna noodles.

Gluten-free pasta for days!

Since perfecting this recipe for the blog, I have made it nearly once a week and I feel confident that you’re going to love this vegan Zucchini Noodle Lasagna as much as I do.

Recommended Ingredients & Equipment

This recipe is light, refreshing, and delicious. You’re going to love the combination of zucchini with marinara sauce and tempeh beef. So good!

Ingredients & Substitutions Oil – Any high heat, neutral flavored oil will do. I recommend coconut or avocado.

Any high heat, neutral flavored oil will do. I recommend coconut or avocado. Zucchini

Cashew Ricotta – This homemade vegan ricotta is a blend of raw cashews, water, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt.

This homemade vegan ricotta is a blend of raw cashews, water, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Herbs & Spices – You will need fresh parsley, chives, and oregano. In addition, you will need dried sage, oregano, parsley, and paprika.

You will need fresh parsley, chives, and oregano. In addition, you will need dried sage, oregano, parsley, and paprika. Tempeh – There is a variety of tempeh. I like multigrain the best. My go-to brands are Lightlife and Trader Joes.

There is a variety of tempeh. I like multigrain the best. My go-to brands are Lightlife and Trader Joes. Soy Sauce – Use Tamari for a gluten-free option.

Use Tamari for a gluten-free option. Onion

Garlic

Marinara Sauce – Use either store bought or homemade.

Use either store bought or Vegan Parmesan – I recommend Violife parmesan. It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan.

I recommend It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your Salt and Pepper

Recommended Equipment

For this recipe, I recommend a mandoline slicer. The mandoline allows you to make thin, uniform slices of any fruits and vegetables and while it’s not something I use often, for recipes like this, I am so glad I have one.

You will also need a high-quality food processor. You will also need a 9×13 baking pan (or similarly sized pan), basic kitchen utensils, a sauté pan, and tin foil. (<<affiliate links)

Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.

How to Make Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

How to make Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

Step One – Make the Cashew Ricotta Blend together the cashews with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a few spices. While I typically recommend using a Vitamix for blended cashew recipes, in this case, since you’re looking for the consistency of ricotta cheese, a food processor works great! Transfer the cashew ricotta to a small bowl and add minced parsley, oregano, and chives. It’s important to stir this in by hand so that the herbs don’t get completely puréed.

Step Two – Make the Tempeh “Beef” To make this savory tempeh, combined tempeh with herbs and spices until it resembles ground beef. One the tempeh is well seasoned, sauté it along with garlic and onions for a nutty and savory filling that is hearty, protein-packed, and nutritious.

Step Three – Assemble the Lasagna Evenly spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the bottom of a 7×11 pan. You can either use store-bought marinara sauce or make your own at home. Top with a layer of thinly sliced zucchini noodles. Add a few dollops of herbed ricotta cheese over the noodles. Spread 1/2 of the tempeh beef over the top. Repeat. Top with one more layer of zucchini noodles. Cover with the remaining sauce and finish with vegan parmesan

Step Four – Bake Cover in foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until parmesan is golden brown and sauce underneath is bubbling up. Remove from the oven and let it sit 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serving and Storing

Serving – Once out of the oven, let the lasagna cool 15 minutes before serving. Serve it with fresh herbs and vegan parmesan alongside artisan bread and a big salad

Storing – Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To eat from the freezer, let the lasagna thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking it. It will need a little longer in the oven since it will be chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can vegan zucchini noodle lasagna be made in advance?

Yes! You can make this recipe and then, rather than baking the lasagna, wrap it airtight, and place it in the freezer. For best results, chill the lasagna first in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Then when you are ready to place it in the freezer, it will freeze quickly. This reduces the chance of freezer burn.

Frozen lasagna can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight. Then cook it according to the instructions below.

More Vegan Lasagna Recipes

Vegan Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Filled with homemade cashew ricotta and tempeh "beef", this gluten-free and vegan zucchini noodle lasagna is a meal that the whole family will love. 5 from 6 votes Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rate it below.

If you made any substitutions, let us know how it turned out! Prep Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Print Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan, Gluten-Free

Servings : 6 people

Calories : 175 kcal

Author : Sarah McMinn

Main Course, Main DishItalian, Vegan, Gluten-Free: 175 kcal Ingredients Herbed Ricotta 1 batch cashew ricotta

batch cashew ricotta 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1 tbsp fresh oregano

tbsp fresh oregano 2 tbsp water

tbsp water 1/8 tsp pepper Tempeh "Beef" 12 ounces tempeh

ounces tempeh 1 tbsp soy sauce

tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp dried sage

tsp dried sage 1/2 tsp dried oregano

tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried parsley

tsp dried parsley 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

tsp smoked paprika 1/5 tsp pepper

tsp pepper 1 tbsp cooking oil

tbsp cooking oil 1/2 small yellow onion, diced

small yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced Everything Else 2 large zucchinis

large zucchinis 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce

jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce 1/4 cup vegan parmesan US Customary - Metric Instructions Preheat the oven to 375. Start by making the cashew ricotta. Once it resembles ricotta, add the remaining herbed ricotta ingredients and blend until herbs are well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use. Crumble up the tempeh in a bowl into small pieces. Mix in soy sauce, herbs, spices, and pepper. Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a heavy bottom pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are fragrant and translucent. Add seasoned tempeh and sauté until tempeh is lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. Cut 1" off each end of the zucchinis. Using a mandoline slicer set at .5mm, slice the zucchini lengthwise to get flat lasagna "noodles". Layer a 7x11 pan with 1/2 cup of marinara sauce. Top with one layer of zucchini. Add a layer of herbed ricotta, tempeh beef, and marinara sauce in that order. Repeat once more ending with marinara sauce. Add one final layer of zucchini and marinara sauce. Top with vegan parmesan cheese. Cover in foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until parmesan is golden brown and sauce underneath is bubbling up. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Recipe Notes Serving and Storing - Once out of the oven, let the lasagna cool 15 minutes before serving. Serve it with fresh herbs and vegan parmesan alongside artisan bread and a big salad. Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make in Advance - To make in advance, assemble the lasagna according to the directions. Rather than baking the lasagna, wrap it tightly, and place it in the freezer. Frozen lasagna can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight. Then cook it according to the instructions below. It will need a little longer in the oven since it will be chilled. Nutrition Facts Calories Per Serving: 175 % Daily Value Carbohydrates 10g 3% Protein 14g 28% Fat 10g 15% Saturated Fat 2g 13% Cholesterol 3mg 1% Sodium 247mg 11% Potassium 547mg 16% Fiber 1g 4% Sugar 3g 3% Vitamin A 435IU 9% Vitamin C 22mg 27% Calcium 143mg 14% Iron 2.4mg 13%