You won’t miss the cheese or the gluten with this Dairy Free Lasagna! The vegan ricotta is easy to make and adds the perfect texture and flavor.
Jump to RecipeLasagna was not a dish I had much growing up. Then, I went gluten + dairy free and suddenly lasagna was a dish that I really wanted. A classic example of “you want what you can’t have.”
While most restaurants now serve gluten free noodles, gluten free lasagna noodles is another story. And don’t even dream about dairy free cheese. So, I went to work creating a gluten and dairy free lasagna at home.
Dairy and Gluten Free Ingredients
Vegan Ricotta
Dairy free ricotta at the grocery was expensive so I decided to make my own. And it was actually a lot simpler than I thought. On top of that, it was the perfect substitute for the real stuff — the texture was thick and a little crumbly while the flavor was a bit tangy.
- Slivered Almonds – opt for slivered almonds to make it easier on your food blender or food processor. Using whole almonds could work, but would probably leave bigger chunks.
- Nutritional Yeast – the vegan “cheese flavor,” a necessary addition
- Lemon Juice – I prefer using fresh juice from a lemon, if you’re in a pinch, I bet that apple cider vinegar would also do the trick
- Garlic Powder – you have the option to sprinkle in additional dried herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc
- Salt – adjust amount to your liking
- Water – start with a small amount and add more as needed
Gluten Free Lasagna
- Gluten Free Lasagna Noodles – even if they say “no boil,” I’d recommend cooking them for a few few minutes for the best results. I also like to use lasagna noodles from the refrigerated section, if you can find them.
- Bell Pepper, Zucchini, Mushroom – these are optional, they require a little more work but I like to add extra veggies when I can
- Ground Beef – I opt for using just a half pound because I include the vegetables, but feel free use one pound and skip the veggies
- Marinara Sauce – our favorite is Rao’s, it’s more expensive but the flavor is worth it! And you can find the 32oz jars at Costco for a great deal
- Dairy Free Mozzarella – I’m not a huge fan of store bought dairy free cheeses, but if I decide to do that I use a little less so the flavor/texture isn’t overwhelming. I also have a Vegan Pizza Cheese recipe that would work great to top this lasagna.
Making this Lasagna
As with any lasagna, this is a labor of love. I usually prefer quick and easy meals and this recipe is a little more complex than those that I usually share. But every now and then, I get the urge to spend a some more like making a meal. Especially when it’s this good!
To make this less time consuming, I suggest prepping whatever you can ahead of time. Maybe that’s the veggies and meat + marinara. Or boiling the lasagna noodles. Or making your dairy free cheeses. Any -or all- of that can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the fridge, which will make it easier when putting it all together.
I sometimes throw in some extra herbs for addition flavor. I recommend sprinkling in some Italian seasoning in the veggies. Fresh parsley can be sautéed with the ground beef. Feel free to measure with your heart.
Dairy Free Lasagna (and Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Dairy Free Ricotta
- 2 cups slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water
Gluten Free Lasagna
- 1 package gluten free lasagna noodles see notes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ white onion diced
- ½ lb ground beef
- 1 bell pepper optional
- 1 small zucchini optional
- 1 package mushrooms optional
- 32 oz jar of marinara
- 1 cup dairy free mozzarella see notes
Instructions
Dairy Free Ricotta
- Add all ingredients (besides the water) to a high speed blender or small food processor.
- Pour in roughly half of the water and blend the nut mixture. Pause, scrape down the sides, and add more water as needed.
- Blend for a few minutes, working towards a purée consistency.
Gluten Free Lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the lasagna noodles as needed (see notes).
- Chop the bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms.
- In the large, deep pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion for a three minutes until fragrant. Then, add the ground beef and break up into small pieces. Once fully cooked, transfer to a plate and drain most of the excess grease.
- In in the same pan over medium heat, add more olive oil if necessary, then sauté the bell pepper. Cook for five minutes before adding the zucchini and mushrooms.
- When the vegetables are starting to get soft, turn off heat and stir in the cooked beef. Pour in the marinara sauce and incorporate everything together.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with spoonfuls of the marinara mixture. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Then spread about 1/3 of the dairy free ricotta onto the noodles, followed by about a 1 and 1/2 cup of the meat and veggie sauce.
- Repeat the layering process 3 times, finishing with a layer of sauce. Cover the dish with foil.
- Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle on the dairy free mozzarella (see notes) and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow about 10 minutes to cool before enjoying!
Notes
- For gluten free lasagna noodles, I recommend boiling them even if they are labeled as “no boil” for a better texture. Another option is to go for noodles in the refrigerated section — I have used Taste Republic and they were great!
- For dairy free mozzarella, try this Vegan Pizza Cheese! It’s super easy to make and will spread easily on top of the lasagna before you put it in the oven.
