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This lasagna is perfectly saucy, “cheesy,” and full of all those good summer flavors. Switch out the traditional lasagna sheets for summer squash and zucchini spiraled into thick, delicious pasta. Add in the marinara, tofu ricotta, and cherry tomatoes and you’ll have a summer zucchini lasagna (vegan) ready in less than an hour!
Lately I have been very into the fresh summer vegetables. I have been sneaking them into every meal. And lucky for me, we have such awesome friends and family that have been delivering us so much zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and peaches from their gardens. So spoiled!
Last week in particular I had so much zucchini and squash on my counter I knew I had to make something that would use up most of it in one recipe. What better way to use up tons and tons of fresh squash and zucchini than by spiralizing it?!
Here in this lasagna we’ve packed in about 8-10 cups of spiralized squash and zucchini. And it does not taste like it. I think I might have created one of the healthiest lasagnas ever. It’s basically a salad. You are welcome.
how to make zucchini noodles
Now, right off the bat I will mention you absolutely need a Spiralizer for this recipe. Or you need to buy thick, pre-spiralized zucchini noodles.
I use this spiralizer by Paderno. Not sponsored, I just absolutely love it! I originally bought it from Williams-Sonoma and have had it for at least 3 or 4 years now and have no complaints.
For those of you hesitant about adding another appliance to your kitchen, this one is worth it! It’s very compact, affordable, easy to clean, and you can make much more with it than just zucchini noodles.
Curly fries anyone?!
It’s also much faster and easier to use than a handheld spiralizer. I spiralized all the noodles needed for this recipe start to finish in less than 5 minutes.
For this recipe, I used the chipping blade (the thickest cut option) to prevent the noodles from getting soggy while baking.
can I meal prep my zucchini noodles ahead of time?
I recommend spiralizing them as close to making the lasagna as possible so they are fresh. If you do want to prep them a day in advance, I would store them uncooked in an airtight container in the refrigerator with a couple of paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. I would not prep more than 2 days ahead of time.
I also do not recommend freezing the zucchini noodles. Zucchini and summer squash have a very high water content. I don’t think they would defrost well and the last thing we want is soggy, sad noodles!
The good thing to note here, though, is that because these noodles are thicker, they do reheat well after baked in the lasagna and do not get soggy! Win!
Still, though, fresh is really best for this recipe. And it’s so good, I promise there won’t be many leftovers!
homemade vegan ricotta
This lasagna also has a super simple homemade vegan ricotta that keeps this dish light. The main ingredient is tofu, so it’s also much lower fat than traditional ricotta! Meaning…you’ll have room for dessert after this! May I suggest my Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats?
I made my tofu ricotta in the food processor so it would maintain a bit of texture, but if you prefer a creamy, smooth ricotta, make this in the blender!
Either way, extremely delicious, and surprisingly cheesy!
I also baked some Miyoko’s mozzarella cheese on top. Highly recommend if you haven’t tried them! They also make a great vegan butter option.
Finally, assemble your lasagna by tossing together the zoodles, marinara, and tofu ricotta and baking in either an oven safe skillet or 9×13 casserole dish.
So easy and delicious.
Topping with lots and lots of fresh basil is also extremely encouraged and recommended!
I can’t wait for you guys to try this one. It’s the best summer recipe that’s so light, healthy and delicious!
Don’t forget to share your recreations with me on social media and leave me a comment down below letting me know how you liked it!
If you’re looking for more vegan pasta dishes, check these out:
- Garlic Butter Pasta with Whipped Tofu Ricotta
- Broccoli and Kale Creamy Pesto Pasta
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Shells
Enjoy!!
Print
Summer Squash and Zucchini Lasagna (vegan)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The easiest summer squash lasagna that’s light, fresh, and vegan! The perfect recipe for when your garden is full of squash and zucchini. Have this on the table in less than 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 4–5 cups summer squash, spiralized
- 4–5 cups zucchini, spiralized
- 1 1/2 jars marinara sauce (about 40 ounces)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved optional
- vegan mozarella cheese, for topping optional
- basil, for topping
TOFU RICOTTA
- (1) 14 ounce package extra-firm tofu
- 2/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (can substitute water)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, Fahrenheit.
- Using a spiralizer with a 6 mm blade thickness (chipper blade), spiralize your zucchini and squash. Set aside. Link to exact spiralizer I used in notes below. If you spiralize your zucchini much thinner like angel hair pasta, you will need to shorten bake time or it will get soggy. I have not tested this and can only recommend using thicker noodles.
- Prepare tofu ricotta by adding all tofu ricotta ingredients to food processor and processing until smooth. Should have no large tofu chunks.
- In a large bowl, toss together the spiralized noodles, tofu ricotta, and marinara until combined.
- Transfer to a 9×13 casserole dish or a 12″ oven safe skillet. If desired, top with vegan mozzarella cheese and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Loosely cover with tin foil and bake in oven on medium level rack for 30 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove tin foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with fresh basil.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Will stay fresher longer in glass container. Reheat in microwave.
Notes
- The exact spiralizer I use (highly recommend): Paderno Word Cuisine 4-Blade Folding Vegetable Slicer/Spiralizer Pro.
- If your summer squash has a lot of seeds inside, first slice squash in half, scoop out seeds, then spiralize. This recipe is perfect for those jumbo zucchini and squash that grow too long in our gardens!
- If you spiralize your squash and zucchini into thinner angel hair pasta-like noodles, you will need to alter the bake time.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian/American
Keywords: vegan lasagna, zoodles, summer squash lasagna
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