Air Fryer Vegan Lasagna
Add Preferred SourceI never thought I’d be making Air Fryer Vegan Lasagna, but now it’s one of my favorite comfort food dinners. Layers of bold lentil and vegetable sauce, silky cashew cream, and tender noodles, all topped with a golden, crunchy breadcrumb crust and baked right in the air fryer. It’s hearty, deeply savory, and the kind of lasagna that everyone goes back for seconds.
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I make this for family dinners, holiday gatherings, and potlucks because it feeds a crowd beautifully and it’s the kind of dish that impresses everyone at the table. It’s also perfect for making ahead since the flavors get even deeper overnight. The air fryer nails that golden topping faster than the oven and frees up space in the kitchen. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Air Fryer Vegan Lasagna with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Here’s everything you need to know to pull off a perfect vegan lasagna in your air fryer, from the veggie filling to the golden breadcrumb top.
Cook the Veggie Base
Add 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to a non-stick skillet, then toss in the onion, eggplant, mushrooms, roasted red pepper, and garlic. I like using this non-stick skillet with a lid, which makes it so much easier to manage.
Cook everything for 10 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften.
Build the Lentil Sauce
Add the Italian seasoning, canned lentils, vegetable broth, spinach leaves, and crushed tomatoes. Mix well, then cook at low to medium heat for 7 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. A matching salt and pepper grinder set is so handy to have right at the stove when you’re seasoning as you go.
Blend the Cashew Cream
Before blending, soak 1 cup of raw cashews in water for at least 1 hour so they blend into a completely smooth paste. I use my high-speed blender here to achieve the smoothest, most velvety results.
Transfer the soaked cashews along with the water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, Italian seasoning, and sea salt to the blender and process until creamy. You can adjust the amount of water to reach a bechamel-like consistency, so add it gradually until you’re happy with the texture.
Layer the Lasagna
Grease your baking dish and start layering: pre-cooked lasagna noodles, lentil sauce, and cashew cream. A ceramic baking pan that fits your air fryer basket will make this much easier to work with.
Repeat the layers until you’ve used everything up, then finish with a final layer of cashew cream on top. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
Air Fry Until Golden
Place the dish in the air fryer and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. I always use this basket-style air fryer with enough capacity to fit a baking dish to get that perfectly even, golden finish.
Serve and Enjoy
Let the lasagna sit for a few minutes before slicing so the layers hold together nicely. Serve warm and enjoy every hearty, creamy bite.
If you’re taking it somewhere, cover the dish tightly with foil and slide it into an insulated casserole carrier to keep it warm and the layers intact on the way there.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 small eggplant cubed
- 1 cup roasted red pepper sliced
- 2 cups mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 200 grams canned lentils
- 4 cups crushed tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- 10 lasagna noodles pre-cooked
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
For the Cashew cream:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet and add the onion, eggplant, roasted pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften.4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 large onion, 1 small eggplant, 1 cup roasted red pepper, 2 cups mushrooms, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the canned lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, and spinach leaves. Mix well and cook at low-medium heat for 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.200 grams canned lentils, 4 cups crushed tomato sauce, 1 cup vegetable broth, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 cups spinach leaves, Salt and pepper to taste
- Soak the cashew for at least 1 hour. Transfer the soaked cashews and water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, Italian seasoning, and salt to a high-speed blender and process until creamy (you may adjust the amount of water to get a bechamel-like consistency.1 cup raw cashews, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 garlic clove
- Grease a baking dish and layer the pre-cooked lasagna noodles, lentil sauce, and cashew cream.10 lasagna noodles
- Finish with a layer of cream topped with breadcrumbs.3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- Bake in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook the veggies until they’re actually soft: Give the onion, eggplant, mushrooms, and pepper the full 10 minutes in the skillet. Rushing this results in the eggplant having an unpleasant texture in the lasagna.
- Simmer the lentil sauce properly: 7 minutes at low-medium heat, let the flavors meld, and the sauce thicken. A thin sauce will make the layers slide when you slice.
- Soak the cashews long enough: Don’t try to rush the soak to less than 1 hour, or the cream won’t blend as smoothly. If you forget, a quick soak in boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes works in a pinch.
- Adjust the cashew cream consistency: Add water gradually while blending, and stop when you reach a thick, pourable bechamel-like texture. Too much water will make it runny, and the layers won’t hold.
- Use pre-cooked noodles: The recipe calls for pre-cooked lasagna noodles, and that’s important. Regular dry noodles won’t cook through in the air fryer in 15 minutes.
- Freeze in portions for easy meals: Slice the fully cooled lasagna into individual servings and freeze them in separate containers. They reheat quickly, and you’ll always have a ready meal on hand.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Once the lasagna has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. A set of glass airtight containers is great for storing portions neatly without absorbing any odors or staining.
Reheat individual portions in the air fryer at 160°C (320°F) for about 8 minutes, or in the microwave until warmed through. Leftover lasagna freezes really well for up to 2 months. Slice it into individual portions before freezing so you can thaw only what you need.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above for best results.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Vegan Lasagna
It pairs really well with a simple green salad on the side. Something like a crisp arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette or a classic mixed green salad cuts right through the richness of the cashew cream and lentil sauce without overpowering the meal.
Crusty bread is always a good call, too. A thick slice of sourdough or a warm baguette is perfect for mopping up any extra sauce on your plate. You could also serve it alongside roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli if you want to add more vegetables to the table.
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