If you like lasagna, you’ll love this creamy noodle-less zucchini dish. There’s something so wonderful about pairing zucchini and tomatoes. The flavors complement each other nicely and have such a fresh taste. I love this recipe because you don’t have to bother with the noodles.
The tofu “ricotta” adds a substantial creaminess. Sometimes, tofu can be bland, like the Whole Foods Market vegan noodle rollatini. I tried it recently, and it was bland—I mean, BLAND! This recipe is far from bland and is full of fresh flavors.
Press the tofu using a tofu press or by wrapping it in paper towels and placing it on a plate with another plate on top. Put something heavy on top of the place and press for about 15 minutes while you prepare the other veggies.
One of my favorite tofu presses is the TofuBud.
The basil and pesto, combined with the artichokes, add depth of flavor and a little earthiness. I recommend using heirloom tomatoes. Since tomatoes are the recipe’s star, you want a high-quality, flavorful tomato!
I suggest you taste the ricotta filling as you’re making it to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or fresh basil since it doesn’t have any eggs. If you want to add a kick to the ricotta, try adding some lemon zest for tang or red chili flakes for spice.
You can also top the dish with additional fresh basil. If you’re feeling inspired, here is a great guide on how to grow your own heirloom tomatoes.
If you’re buying from the store, this article gives great tips on choosing the best ripe tomato. Another great tip for this recipe is to make your own pesto if you have time. You can control the oil and salt in homemade pesto instead of store-bought. Here’s my recipe for oil-free pesto.
A few more hearty plant-based meals to satisfy your taste buds:
- Easy Chana Masala With Chickpeas &Yams
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Mushroom Burgundy Sauce Over Polenta
- Sheet Pan Ratatouille with Creamy Polenta
- Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa
This dish is so pretty that you’ll love serving it at a dinner party, a potluck gathering, or even as a welcome-to-the-neighbor gift for a new neighbor.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Creamy Noodle-less Zucchini Tomato Lasagna recipe! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
This recipe is Certified Plantricious because it meets the following guidelines.
The Trusted Seal for
Plant-Based Nutrition
- Must be whole food plant-based, contains no animal products
- May be minimally processed
- No added oil
- No added sugars
- No artificial additives or preservatives
- Sodium (mg) to Calories ratio, 1 ≤ 1
- Total Fiber to Calories, 2g ≥ 100 calories
Creamy Noodle-less Zucchini, Tomato Lasagna
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini sliced in long 1/4″ pieces.
- 1 12 oz. package frozen artichoke hearts coarsely chopped
- 4 tbsp prepared Basil Pesto or make your own no-added-oil version
- 2-3 large vine ripe tomatoes sliced into ¼” rounds
- salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Tofu “Ricotta”
- 1 14 oz. package firm organic tofu pressed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp garlic roughed chopped
- 1/8 tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped (no need to remove the stems)
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped (no need to remove the stems)
“Parmesan” Cheese Topping
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/3 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 375° F
Prepare the zucchini, artichokes and tomatoes
- Preheat Oven to 375° F. Prepare the zucchini, artichokes, and tomatoes
- Place zucchini in a colander in the sink and salt generously. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse the zucchini under water to remove the salt and place in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil. Roast at 400° F until softened and pliable (about 10 minutes). Set aside.
- When cooled, gently toss the zucchini and artichokes in a bowl with the prepared basil pesto, to coat. Lower oven to 350°F.
- Slice the tomatoes into ¼” rounds.
Prepare the tofu “ricotta”
- Press the tofu using a tofu press or by wrapping in paper towels and placing it on a plate with another plate on top. Put something heavy on top. Press for around 15 minutes while you prepare the other veggies.*
- After 10 minutes, place tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until the mixture is creamy.
- Add the roughly chopped parsley and basil and pulse a few times to incorporate, but not totally blend so that there are flecks of green. Set aside.
Cashew “Parmesan Cheese”
- Place the cashew, nutritional yeast and salt in a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs.
To Assemble the Lasagna
- Spray the bottom of a 9×9″ baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place a single layer of the pesto zucchini in the dish, about 1/2 of the zucchini. Top with half of the artichokes.
- Place 1/2 of the tofu ricotta filling evenly over the zucchini and flatten with the back of the spoon.
- Top with tomato slices.
- Repeat the layers once.
- Cover with foil and bake the lasagna until it is bubbly and hot, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the “Parmesan” Cashew Cheese, return to the oven for another 4-5 minutes or until very lightly browned.
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