The lasagna that made me question everything I knew about comfort food

I was standing in my kitchen at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday, watching my husband bow his head over a plate of lasagna like he was having a religious experience. "I'm having a moment," he said when I asked what was happening. And that's when I knew I'd created something that transcended the tired vegan-food-as-sacrifice narrative I'd been unconsciously carrying around for years.

The lasagna in question wasn't some health-food approximation of the real thing. It was the real thing—just reimagined through a plant-based lens that somehow made it better than any dairy-laden version I'd eaten in my pre-vegan days. Layers of cashew cream that browned and bubbled under the broiler. Spinach-flecked tofu ricotta that fooled three omnivorous dinner guests. A marinara sauce hiding sweet potatoes and red lentils like delicious secrets.

Funny thing is, this recipe has become more than just dinner—it's become therapy for me, a recovering takeout addict who discovered that making cashew cheese from scratch can apparently rewire your brain. But even if you're just here for the lasagna, I promise this one delivers.

Recipe

Servings: 9

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Lasagna:

• 1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (I prefer DeLallo Whole Wheat)
• 1/2 cup water

Savory Cashew Cream:

• 2 cups raw cashews (soaked if not using high-speed blender)
• 1 cup water
• 1 heaping Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp chickpea miso (or any light miso)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Protein-Packed Marinara:

• 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups water

Vegan Spinach Ricotta:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 10-12 oz firm tofu, drained
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp light miso
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Directions

Make the Savory Cashew Cream:

1. Blend all cashew cream ingredients in a high-speed blender until silky smooth.

Make the Marinara Sauce:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Sauté garlic and salt for 30 seconds. Add oregano.
3. Stir in sweet potato and lentils, cook for 1 minute.
4. Add water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10-15 minutes until lentils are soft.
5. Add crushed tomatoes, simmer 5 more minutes.

Make the Vegan Spinach Ricotta:

1. In a food processor, pulse cashews, garlic, miso, salt, and nutritional yeast until crumbly.
2. Add tofu, spinach, and basil. Pulse until combined but still textured.

Assemble the Lasagna:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Thin cashew cream with water to pouring consistency.
3. Spread 1 cup marinara in a 13x9 casserole dish.
4. Layer 5 noodles, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup marinara, 3/4 cup cashew cream.
5. Repeat layers once more.
6. Top with final 5 noodles and remaining marinara.
7. Cover tightly with foil, bake 30 minutes.
8. Remove foil, drizzle remaining 1/2 cup cashew cream on top.
9. Bake uncovered 20 minutes.
10. Broil 3-4 minutes until golden and bubbly.
11. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month
• For frozen lasagna, defrost overnight and add 15 minutes to initial baking time
• Double the component recipes and freeze extras for quick assembly next time

Three weeks after perfecting this recipe, I served it at a dinner party. My friend Sarah, a devoted cheese enthusiast who once told me she'd "rather die than give up parmesan," took her first bite and paused. "What kind of cheese is this?" she asked, already reaching for seconds. When I told her it was cashew cream, she laughed. "Well, that's annoying. Now I can't pretend vegan food is terrible."

Standing in my kitchen now, preparing another batch for meal prep, I think about all the foods I've yet to reimagine. All the traditions waiting to be honored through transformation. My husband walks in, sees the casserole dish, and grins. "Is it weird that I'm excited about leftover lasagna for lunch tomorrow?"

Not weird at all. Just another person learning that sometimes, the best version of something is the one you never expected to love.