This Vegan Skillet Lasagna is just like the classic meal but easily made in one pan! Pasta is swirled in a thick, cheesy sauce made of marinara, veggies, and plant-based crumbles. Whip this comforting deliciousness up on busy nights or use it for meal prep!
Vegan skillet lasagna is the perfect weeknight meal because it’s cooked on the stovetop, ready in 40 minutes, and there’s only one pan to clean. This is a great family favorite to add to your rotation!
This big, beautiful cast iron meal has all the flavors of traditional layered lasagna stirred together but it’s so much easier to make. There’s also no need to cook the noodles ahead of time and no layers to assemble.
A hearty, veggie filled bolognese sauce forms the base of the meal. It’s full of robust Italian flavors and is so simple to make! It will seem like a soup at first, but takes on a thick, creamy texture once it’s ready.
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This healthy casserole is meat-free, dairy-free, and loaded with vegetables.
I love to slide in extra veggies such as carrots and zucchini for their added flavor, texture, and nutrition. You can leave them out if you prefer or even change them up!
Pour in your favorite brand of marinara sauce or use this tasty Cherry Tomato Sauce.
Breaded Mushrooms and an Apple Galette would go so well with this veggie skillet lasagna!
Reasons To Love This Lasagna
- Vegan
- Very filling
- Easy recipe
- Freezer-friendly
- Filled with veggies
- Ready in 40 minutes
- Just one pan to clean
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil - Sauté the veggies in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. You can use ¼ cup of water for oil-free.
- Onion - Any variety works. I like sweet onions here for their subtle flavor.
- Vegetables - Carrots, zucchini, and baby spinach add great flavors and a hearty texture to this skillet meal. Feel free to use any of your favorites instead.
- Garlic - Fresh is best but garlic powder can work in a pinch.
- Vegan Crumbles - Use any brand of vegan ground beef replacement. I love Impossible Ground for this recipe but Beyond Meat and others work as well. Vegan sausage or mushrooms would be good too.
- Tomato Sauce - Use any jarred marinara plus canned crushed tomatoes. You can also make a double batch of this Cherry Tomato Sauce if you have extra time.
- Water - Just a little water is needed to help cook the noodles. Low-sodium vegetable broth works as well but is not necessary.
- Noodles - Look for the uncooked lasagna noodles. You can even use gluten-free.
- Seasoning - A combination of Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, and pepper are amazing in this pasta dish. Sprinkle in any other favorites that you like.
- Vegan Cheese - A combination of vegan mozzarella and vegan ricotta are perfect for a classic lasagne. If the ricotta is hard to find, you can use extra mozzarella, vegan parmesan, or vegan cream cheese instead.
- Garnish - Sprinkle on some fresh or dried basil for garnish.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.
Sauté the onions, carrots, and zucchini in a large skillet like a cast iron.
Once the onions are slightly translucent, add the vegan grounds and garlic.
Break the crumbles up and cook them until they are warmed through and browned.
Stir in and bring to a boil the marinara, tomatoes, water, and seasoning.
Break the lasagna noodles and push them down into the sauce.
Cover the pan with a lid, foil, or a baking sheet to create a steamy environment for the noodles to cook in.
Occasionally, scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent the noodles from sticking.
Note, if the veggie lasagna looks like it's drying out, stir in a small amount of water. We don't want to turn this into a thin soup by adding too much liquid, but it may need some more depending on how much gets cooked off.
After about 15 minutes, the noodles should be slightly bendable. At this point, stir in the vegan cheeses, saving some for toppings.
Then, stir in the spinach. Spread the remaining cheese over top and re-cover the skillet.
Give it another 10 minutes and it's all set! If you want, you can uncover it at the end and broil it for a few minutes for a toasty top.
I like to garnish my plate with some fresh basil.
No-Waste Ideas
- Have more zucchini to use up? You can make Zucchini Banana Bread and Stuffed Shells.
- Extra carrots? Some ideas include Stir Fry, Pot Pie, Pot Roast, or Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
Storage & Reheating
Transfer leftover lasagna to an air-tight container and refrigerate it for 4 days or freeze it for 2 months. Reheat it in the microwave or over the stovetop (covered) until heated through. If frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or defrost it in the microwave first.
Serve With It
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Recipe
Vegan Skillet Lasagna
Bonnie - Serene Trail
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- half a medium sweet onion diced
- 1 large carrot peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 large zucchini halved lengthwise then sliced
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 12-16 ounces vegan beef (340g) or vegan sausage
- 24 ounces jar of marinara (680g)
- 15 ounces can of crushed tomatoes (425g)
- 1 cup water (237ml) or vegetable broth
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles (227g) uncooked
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella (112g) shredded
- ½ cup vegan ricotta (125g) or parmesan or cream cheese
- 1 cup baby spinach (30g) chopped
Instructions
- Heat a 12-inch or larger skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the olive oil. Then add the onions, carrots, and zucchini. Sauté them until the onions have softened and become slightly translucent (about 3-4 minutes). The other veggies will soften as they cook in the sauce later.
- Add the garlic and vegan crumbles to the pan. Break the crumbles up and cook them for 5-6 minutes until they become brown and warmed through.
- Pour in the marinara, crushed tomatoes, water, and seasoning. Stir to combine everything and bring this to a boil.
- Break the lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces over the sauce. It's okay if they break into smaller, uneven pieces. Push them down into the sauce.
- Cover the pan tightly with a lid, foil, or a large baking sheet. This will help keep the steam in to cook the pasta. Stir every few minutes as this cooks. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the noodles from sticking.
- If needed, add a small amount of water if it looks like it's drying out. We just want to add a little at a time and only if needed because we don't want the meal to become too thin like a soup.
- Once the noodles have softened a little and become bendable (15 minutes), stir in most of the vegan mozzarella shreds and vegan ricotta. Save some for toppings.
- When the cheese is spread throughout the lasagna, stir in a handful of spinach. Then top the lasagna with dollops of vegan ricotta and the rest of the vegan mozzarella.
- Tightly cover the pan again and cook it for 10 more minutes. During this time, the noodles will finish cooking and the cheese on top will soften. You can also broil it for a few minutes afterwards if you want a crispy top layer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is estimated and can vary depending on brands and measurements used.
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