Vegan Lasagna Soup
Vegan lasagna soup is everything you love about a bubbling tray of lasagna, turned into a cozy bowl you can make in one pot. You get the same comforting flavors — tender pasta, a rich savory broth, and a creamy finish — without layering, baking, or waiting an hour. It is a full meal in a bowl, perfect for lunch or dinner, and completely dairy-free thanks to a blended cashew cream.
Why I turned my favorite dish into a soup
I think I have been a lasagna lover for as long as I can remember. I was quite young when I saw the Garfield movie at the cinema, and his love for lasagna kind of inspired me. I kept asking my mom to make more and more and more lasagna, and to this day it is still one of my favorite dishes.
I only thought of making this vegan lasagna soup recipe recently, and I must admit I was a little skeptical about it. All those doubts vanished after I tried making and tasting it. There are many ways to do this, but I think I have come to the perfect mix of ingredients and tastes with this recipe — and, of course, I made it completely vegan. I love finding new ways to eat my favorite dishes, and this one turns lasagna into something I can eat as a first dish and a main all at once.
What goes into this lasagna soup
The ingredient list splits into two simple parts: a cashew cream and a vegetable broth base. Here is what each one brings to the bowl, and how to pick the best version of it.
- Cashews, soaked overnight — these are the heart of the dairy-free cream. Soaking softens them so they blend perfectly smooth with no gritty bits. If you forget to soak overnight, cover them in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes instead.
- Nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar — the yeast adds a savory, cheesy depth to the cashew cream, while the vinegar brings a gentle tang that keeps the richness from feeling flat.
- Pasta — wavy pasta or lasagna sheets cut into thick noodles. The ruffled edges hold onto the broth and give you that ribbon-of-lasagna feel in every spoonful.
- Onion, garlic, celery, and carrots — the classic aromatic base. Sauteing them first is what builds the savory foundation of the whole soup.
- Cayenne, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg — a small but important spice trio. The nutmeg is a nod to a creamy bechamel and rounds out the whole thing.
- Greens and crumbled tofu — these go on at the end. The tofu adds protein and a soft, ricotta-like bite, and the greens keep the bowl fresh.
How to get it right
- Take your time with the vegetables. Saute the celery and carrots for a good 7 minutes before adding the broth. This softens them and deepens their sweetness, which you will taste in the finished soup.
- Blend the cashew cream until truly smooth. A few extra seconds in the food processor is the difference between a silky cream and a grainy one. Scrape down the sides and blend again if you need to.
- Blend part of the cooked vegetables into the broth. This is what gives you that runny cream-soup body before the cashew cream even goes in. It thickens the base naturally, without any flour.
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Add it only once the soup is at a boil and follow the timing on the package. It will keep softening in the hot broth, so pulling it a touch early keeps it from turning mushy.
Why the cashew cream works so well
The reason this soup tastes rich without any dairy comes down to the cashews. When soaked and blended, cashews break down into a smooth emulsion of fat and starch that mimics the mouthfeel of cream, so the broth turns velvety instead of watery. Blending a cup of the cooked vegetables back into the pot does the same job from the other direction — their natural starch thickens the liquid before the cream is added. Stir the cashew cream in off a hard boil so it warms through gently and stays smooth rather than splitting. If you want more ideas for building flavor without dairy, my collection of vegan sauces uses the same blended-nut trick.
What to serve with vegan lasagna soup
This soup is filling enough to stand on its own as a main, but it plays beautifully with a few simple sides. A slice of crusty bread is perfect for mopping up the creamy broth. If you are building a bigger Italian-style spread, serve it alongside my vegan lasagna with mushrooms for a lasagna-lover’s feast, or browse more of my Italian recipes for pairing ideas. When I want a lighter starter first, a smooth cream of avocado soup is a nice contrast to this heartier bowl.
Storing and making it ahead
Like most pasta soups, this one is best enjoyed fresh, because the noodles keep drinking up the broth as they sit. If you know you will have leftovers, my tip is to cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl, keeping the soup base on its own. The base stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days, and it reheats gently on the stove — add a splash of broth or water to loosen it back to that creamy consistency. Freezing works too, though the cashew cream may separate slightly, so just whisk it back together as it warms. If you love a make-ahead pot of soup, you will find plenty more in my noodle and soup recipes to keep in rotation.
If you try this vegan lasagna soup, I would love to know how it turned out. Did you go heavier on the cayenne, swap in your favorite greens, or add extra tofu on top? Leave a star rating and a comment below and tell me how you made this bowl your own.
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Vegan Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup wavy pasta or lasagna sheets, cut into thick noodles
For the cream:
- 1 cup cashews soaked overnight
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ tsp salt
For the soup:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
For the topping:
- 1 handful greens
- ½ cup tofu crumbled
Instructions
- Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add olive oil.
- When hot, add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add the celery and carrots and continue to saute for about 7 minutes.
- Add the broth, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Set the heat on low and let it simmer until the veggies are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, add all the cream ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. Discard and set aside.
- Add the veggies with 1 cup of broth to the food processor and blend until smooth.
- Return the blended veggies to the broth, stir to combine and you should get a runny cream soup.
- Mix in the cashew cream while stirring. Add the nutmeg.
- Set on medium heat. When it comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the time on the package, to al dente.
- Serve with greens and crumbled tofu. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a one-pot soup that captures the flavors of classic lasagna — tender pasta, a savory vegetable broth, and a creamy finish — without any layering or baking. Instead of dairy cheese, it uses a blended cashew cream for richness, plus crumbled tofu on top for a soft, ricotta-like bite. It comes together as a full meal in a bowl for lunch or dinner.
Yes, every ingredient in this recipe is plant-based. The creamy texture comes from soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and apple cider vinegar rather than dairy, and the protein topping is crumbled tofu. There are no eggs, milk, butter, or cheese anywhere in the bowl.
Wavy pasta or lasagna sheets cut into thick noodles work best here. The ruffled edges hold onto the creamy broth and give you that ribbon-of-lasagna feel in each spoonful. Cook the pasta only once the soup reaches a boil and pull it at al dente, since it keeps softening in the hot liquid.
Soaking overnight is ideal because it softens the cashews for a perfectly smooth blend. If you are short on time, cover them in boiling water and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes instead. Then blend them with the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and salt until completely smooth.
Yes, but for the best texture, cook the pasta separately and store it apart from the broth, since the noodles keep absorbing liquid as they sit. The soup base keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheats gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water to loosen it. It also freezes, though the cashew cream may separate slightly and just needs a whisk as it warms.
The heat comes from the cayenne, so adjust that to taste. Use the full half teaspoon or a little more for a warmer bowl, or cut it back and lean on the white pepper for a gentler version. The nutmeg and nutritional yeast stay the same either way, keeping that creamy, savory depth.
WOW, I’m simply amazed! Never expected this recipe to turn out so good! ❤️