We’re now firmly in autumn, and many of us are looking for comforting hot dinners to warm up those cold evenings. Lasagne is a classic choice, and it couldn’t be easier to make the old favorite without using any animal products. This butternut squash vegan lasagne idea is creamy, cheesy, and very easy to make.

Lasagne refers to a type of pasta that’s typically made of wide, flat sheets. It originated in Italy during the middle ages, and it’s thought to be one of the oldest types of pasta. Lasagne sheets are typically stacked in layers alongside béchamel sauce, cheese, vegetables, and meat to make the famous “lasagne” dish. The vast majority of lasagne meals you’ll find in restaurants aren’t vegan-friendly. Traditional recipes use beef mince, while vegetarian recipes tend to be heavy on dairy.

Making vegan lasagne is simple, however, with just a few swaps. Dried lasagne sheets that you find in the pasta aisle at the supermarket will often be vegan (though always check the label to make sure), and there are plenty of animal-free alternatives you can add into a plant-based version.

How to make a vegan lasagne

The below recipe, which comes from plant-based recipe developer Natali Eleftheriou (Natilicious Food) uses silken tofu, nutritional yeast, and soy milk in its dairy-free béchamel sauce. While some recipes will use just vegetables, Eleftheriou incorporates vegan mince in hers. Vegan mince is often easy to find in supermarkets, and you can use whichever brand is your favorite.

This recipe features gluten-free lasagne sheets, but you can swap these out and use traditional wheat versions if you prefer. This lasagne also incorporates butternut squash, which is now in season in many countries in the world.

Butternut squash lasagne recipe

Today’s recipes in a simplified version of lasagne, it’s hassle-free as it eliminates the need for tedious layering or juggling multiple pots, as we’ll be using one pan, from start to finish!

5 from 1 vote

Servings

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
350 g butternut squash, cut in small cubes
2 cloves of garlic, thinly cut or crushed
160 g plant-based mince (I used Linda McCartney Foods – Vegemince)
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp of each dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, and garlic granules
1 tsp tomato paste
80 ml tomato passata
1 veggie cube
80 g frozen peas
3 lasagne sheets

Bechamel

180 g silken tofu
90 ml soy milk (unsweetened)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper
1/3 of a teaspoon each dried oregano and garlic granules

Serve with:

20 g shredded plant-based cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

In a wide pan, that is oven proof save, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped onion with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes on a medium heat.
Add the butternut squash, garlic, and some salt and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Continue with the mince, the remaining olive oil, and spices and sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
Add a splash of water if your mixture gets too dry.
Then add the tomato paste, stir and cook for a minute.
Add 200ml of boiling water, the veggie cube, tomato passata and peas. Stir around and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the "bechamel" by adding all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until everything is well combined.
In the meantime, prepare the "bechamel" by adding all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until everything is well combined.
Back to the pan, add 200-250ml of warm water and break the lasagne sheets into pieces and add them in the sauce, stir carefully to incorporate them.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, before you add some of the bechamel sauce in the mixture. Mix well.
Then spread the remaining bechamel sauce of top, making sure that the lasagne pieces are covered.
Spread the cheese on top, cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20minutes, then uncover and cook for 5-10minutes more.
Once is cooked sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with some salad.