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World's Best (Now Vegetarian!) Lasagna

The most popular lasagna recipe on Allrecipes.com is now vegetarian! We guarantee that meat eaters won't be able to tell the difference! This Allrecipes magazine recipe is based on John Chandler's World's Best Lasagna.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 people
Calories 5107.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven For simmering the robust tomato sauce.
  • 1 Large Pot For boiling lasagna noodles.
  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish For assembling and baking the lasagna.
  • 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the ricotta cheese mixture.
  • 1 Aluminum Foil For covering the lasagna during initial baking.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 8 ounces plant-based hot Italian-style sausage such as Beyond Meat, chopped
  • 6 ounces cooked and crumbled ground meat substitute such as Boca
  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided
  • ¾ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 12 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced
  • 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
  • cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, plant-based sausage, meat substitute crumbles, tomato paste, water, 1 tablespoon parsley, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Meanwhile, combine ricotta, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, egg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
  • Spread 1/3 tomato sauce mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over sauce. Spread with 1/2 ricotta mixture. Top with 1/3 mozzarella slices. Spoon 1/3 tomato sauce mixture over mozzarella; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layers; top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Coat a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish, coated-side down.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes more. Cool 15 minutes before slicing into 12 equal servings.

Notes

1. **Sauce Development:** Allow the sauce to simmer for the full 1.5 hours; this extended time is crucial for the flavors to meld and deepen, creating a rich, complex base for your lasagna. Taste and adjust seasonings as it simmers. 2. **Al Dente Noodles:** Cook the lasagna noodles until they are just al dente, firm to the bite. They will continue to cook in the oven, and overcooked noodles can result in a mushy texture. Rinsing with cold water immediately after draining helps stop the cooking process and prevents sticking. 3. **Layering Strategy:** Ensure an even distribution of sauce and cheese in each layer. Starting and ending with sauce helps keep the lasagna moist and prevents the top layer of noodles from drying out. A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg in the ricotta mixture can subtly enhance its flavor. 4. **Resting is Key:** Do not skip the 15-minute cooling period after baking. This allows the layers to set, preventing the lasagna from falling apart when sliced and ensuring cleaner portions.