Just before Christmas, one of my friends from college gave birth to her second baby girl (a real doll, I might add!). This friend is among a group of five of us who all lived in a tiny blue house not too far from campus. Fortunately, we all still live within an hour or less from each other, so we manage to get together for dinners and beach days now and then. We’ve been through the college years together, then weddings, now kids. Of the five of us, four of us each have two kids. I, of course, am the exception with no kids (by choice). Actually, getting together with them and hearing about their lack of sleep, their frustrations with parenting, their constant feelings of failure — well, it’s the best birth control EVER. I always come home and tell Hubs how smart we are! LOL!
All joking aside, the decision to not have children was something we both agreed on BEFORE we got married. After the previous sentence, I started typing out a big long explanation, but then I deleted it because the bottom line is I don’t owe anyone an explanation. It’s our choice, we’re happy with it – period. This doesn’t mean we’re anti-children. We have seven beautiful nieces and nephews that we adore. Our cousins and friends have some of the sweetest, cutest, smartest, funniest kids I’ve ever met. Kids are cool. We just don’t want our own.
So what does all that have to do with lasagna?! There is a connection here, I promise. I was about to tell you that four of us college buds all went to visit our fifth friend and her new baby, and we brought dinner to share. Let me back up to the string of Facebook messages that discussed date, time and what to bring for dinner. Basically, it was suggested that I bring the same veggie lasagna I brought to a prior new baby visit three years ago. I don’t even remember where I got the recipe, but apparently it made an impression. I don’t know if my friends forget that I’m vegan now or if they think it’s just a phase or what – but that recipe wasn’t remotely vegan. Sorry folks, but whatever I’m bringing – it’s gonna be vegan. I gotta eat, too!
Since this was my first attempt at vegan lasagna and I didn’t have time for a test run, I had to go with a trusted source. When I googled “vegan lasagna” and Oh She Glows’ recipe for Vegan Lasagna with Basil Cashew Cheeze popped up, I knew that was the one. OSG is one of my favorite vegan blogs and Angela, the blog author, is a fabulous cook (I can’t wait for her cookbook to come out). You might recall my most recent OSG Test Report on Cranberry, Apricot & Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf, which was definitely a winner. I read through a lot of the comments on the lasagna and everyone that had made it seemed to love it. The other reason I chose it was because it didn’t involve making tofu ricotta, which I felt was too risky. After all, I would be serving this to four carnivores.
By the way, those four carnivores (including the most skeptical one) all had very clean plates by the end of the meal – which is always a good sign. Personally, I really enjoyed it and so did Hubs (he got to sample a small bite that was left in the pan when I got home). I left the leftovers with my friend, who told me she ate a piece for breakfast the next morning. Hey, she’s got a newborn – she’s allowed. Since I didn’t have time to photograph the recipe process the first time, I had no choice but to make a second batch for you. Fortunately, it’s not complicated.
First, you’ll need to make the Basil Cashew Cheeze Sauce:
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup vegetable broth or water (or more as needed)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup nutritional yeast* (gives the cheese flavor)
¾-1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) + freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp onion powder (optional)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1½ cups fresh basil leaves (lightly packed)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 30 mins or overnight
*Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, which is sold in the form of flakes or as a yellow powder similar in texture to cornmeal. You can find it at health food stores or you can order it online.
STEP 1:
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add all ingredients (in the order listed) to a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, and blend until smooth. Easy, right?!
YIELDS (1) 9 x 13 PAN OF LASAGNA
***
INGREDIENTS:
½ Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
8 oz. package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 large or 2 small red peppers, chopped
1 large handful of spinach
Herbamare or salt/pepper to taste
1½ jars of pasta sauce or homemade marinara sauce
1 box of oven-ready lasagna noodles (no boiling required)
Lemon Basil Cheeze Sauce (from above)
1½ cups Cheddar and/or Mozzarella Style Daiya Shreds
STEP 1:
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, add oil, onion and garlic; sauté over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, mushrooms, peppers; sauté for 10 more minutes. Add spinach; sauté for 5 more minutes. IMPORTANT: Season well with Herbamare or salt and black pepper or else you’ll have bland vegetables.
STEP 2:
Pour about a cup or so of pasta sauce into a 9×13 pan and spread it evenly. Add a layer of noodles, then half the Lemon Basil Cheeze Sauce, then half the vegetables (sorry, forgot to snap a photo of that layer).
STEP 3:
Repeat layers of pasta sauce, noodles, cheeze sauce, veggies. Add another layer of pasta sauce, then sprinkle Daiya Shreds on top.
STEP 4:
Cover with foil and slice a few small vents using a sharp knife. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes on medium, watching closely so as not to burn the edges.
This recipe is definitely carnivore-friendly. It is full of really great flavor and substance. Even though I used store-bought pasta sauce, the lasagna tasted REALLY fresh because of the Lemon Basil Cashew Cheeze. I wouldn’t hesitate to make this for non-vegan friends again. In fact, it’s time for lunch – who’s hungry for leftover lasagna?!
Welcome to 86 Lemons. My name is Livvy. Thanks for stopping by! I test a wide variety of seemingly fun DIY projects, vegan recipes and consumer products (like the latest mascara, for example). Then I report to you with the inside scoop. You'll get the real story on which ones are worth your attention and which ones are "lemons" to be avoided. Read more on my 
That’s so lovely that you and your friends have all managed to keep up with each other. I’m at university now so hope it’s the same for me!
I saw the lasagna over at oh she glows and thought it looked good, I’m a little obsessed with nut cheeses and sauces :) I do like a tofu ricotta or a combination of tofu/cashew for a lighter version. Glad it was a success.
(I’m new to your blog and now a subscriber, love it.)
Hi Emma! Thanks so much for reading/commenting. I hope you’ll find some useful info here :)
Wow…that looks totally awesome! I am bookmarking it now!
Can I just say, as a mother of 3 kids, I am completely envious of your decision to not have any. Parenthood is no joke, the hardest job EVER. The lasagna looks great, I love O.S.G. and I love how she rarely uses soy!
Thanks for your honesty, Kaite ;)
Mmm, that lasagna looks delicious! I agree with OSG being a reliable source, I know that when I make any of her recipes, it’s going to be good!
This looks so good! I love pasta and am always looking for a good vegan lasagna
Looks delicious! Looks very flavorsome, something which I often find is an issue with vegan meals.
Definitely no shortage of flavor in this recipe!
This looks amazing!!! Will definitely have to try it out :)
Looks super yummy, especially the basil cashew cheeze, which I bet would be really good on linguine for a quick vegan dinner. I am going to try this, thanks!
Hi Freda! Yes, you’re right – it would be great with pasta. Angela said it’s great on pizza and sandwiches, too!
We made this tonight and it was great!
I used Trader Joe’s vegan cheese and it completely melted into the dish. It was still delicious though. The Trader Joe’s cheese seems to have a drier texture – so next time I won’t add the cheese on top until after I take the foil off.
Thanks for the recipe – it’s going to be a regular at our house.
Hi Kathy! Thanks for commenting. I’ve never used Trader Joe’s vegan cheese, so that’s good to know. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Greetings, Livvy! I just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! The Carnivore husband loved, it as well – always a bonus :-) It will be made many more times, I’m sure – thanks so much for doing the leg work and posting your results for us … your review is really what made me want to try the recipe. I am now a new follower of yours and look forward to your postings!
Cheers
Hi Gwen! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Glad to hear dinner was a hit! I checked out your artwork – FABULOUS!!!!
This recipe looks so yummy! I posted something similar to this on my blog around Thanksgiving and it was a Hit! Your friends will ask for it all the time! ;)
Livvy, Just have to tell you that I made yesterday and it was AWESOME!! Thanks for posting this recipe…. I might blog about …I’ll link back here and also to OH She Glows…. I couldn’t stop eating it!! :)
Hi Tracy! So glad you tried it and liked it. Angela rocks – her recipes are always awesome!
This lasagna changed my life. It was THAT good. Amazing recipe, thank you so much for sharing! Since I don’t have access to Daiya in my country, I used breadcrumb/salt/oregano/thyme mix for a crunchy top- it also worked well!
Hi Brooke! So happy you enjoyed it. Love your topping solution – I’ll have to try that!
I made this recipe for a lovely Saturday night dinner (along with a vegan garlic bread loaf) and it was absolutely AMAZING! I’ve been eating the leftovers for lunch everyday so far and am in love. The cashew cheese sauce was superb. Thank you so much!
Thanks for posting feedback, Andrea – glad you enjoyed it!
The BEST vegan lasagna I have made and I’ve made vegan lasagna a lot. I think it was the Basil Cashew Cheese that made the lasagna. I also fed it to meat eaters and they loved it. Thanks.
Great recipe! I added some roasted chipotle to make it spicy! It was delicious!! Thanks! :D
Make this ASAP!
I made it for my wife (non-vegan) and me for the Super Bowl. She loved it and wanted to have it again sometime this week. Unfortunately, I have had it for breakfast and lunch the last two days. Therefore, I am making it again (at this moment) before I get busted.
I love lasagna the next day and cold. If it is a good lasagna, the flavors really snap, and this recipe does not disappoint. By far the best Vegie lasagna I have ever had!
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[...] people out). They were game, though, and decided to try an all-vegan meal. I served OSG’s Vegan Lasagna with Basil Cashew Cheeze (cuz it’s awesome), Caesar side salads and sliced baguettes with dipping oil. This was my [...]
Leftovers?! What? I don’t think so! Not with this recipe! LOL!
Our family hates Dijon mustard. Can yellow mustard be substituted for the Dijon?
Hi Brenda. I haven’t tried it that way, but I think it should work okay. If you try it, lmk how it turns out!
Thanks, Livvy! I will try it and post the results!
Livvy,
I made this today for our family gathering, and it turned out great with the yellow mustard instead of the Dijon! I also substituted zucchini strips for the pasta. It was a bit more runny than if I’d used pasta, but everyone loved it!
Brenda
Great to know, thank you for the feedback Brenda! Glad it was a hit :)
This recipe looks delicious and I will definitely try it out. I enjoy Oh She Glows blog as well. I am going to start following you too.
I applaud you and your husband for knowing that you don’t want children of your own and not succumbing to “tradition”. Bringing children into the world is a huge responsibility and if you would rather not do it I think it is okay.
Wow someone with my name that follows the same blogs and is vegan!?! LOVE it!! Go Xenia! :)
I made this tonight and it was to die for, the basil in the cashew ‘cheese’ was just right. Fresh squeezed lemons also make the flavor so bright! Thanks for a great recipe. I will definitely come back to this one – lasagna is always a favorite. AND you were right, I had non gfree/vegan folks eating it with me and they loved it :).
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it last night for 3 non-vegans and they LOVED it!
This is by far, my favorite vegan dish. I have made this numerous times for various holidays and events and all my non vegan friends and family love it too. People RAVE about this. Thank you so much for posting this! I’m about to make another try right now to bring to a MOthers Day dinner. I’ve even found gluten free rice lasagna noodles for my grandma who has celiac. This is fantastic!!