This Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta is the kind of weeknight supper that feels special without fussy steps. It layers tender, broken oven-ready noodles in a vibrant tomato sauce, studded with French lentils and a quick vegetable soffritto, and finishes with a generous dollop of creamy almond ricotta and bright spinach walnut pesto. Everything cooks in one skillet (plus a blender or food processor for the ricotta and pesto), so cleanup is easy and the flavors meld beautifully as it simmers. The result is comforting, rich, and unexpectedly light—perfect for feeding a small crowd or saving leftovers for instant next-day lunches.

Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta is an accessible plant-based main that proves you don’t need dairy to get melty, satisfying lasagna vibes. Read on for ingredient notes, make-ahead tips, and step-by-step instructions rewritten for clarity so you can cook with confidence.

Why this skillet lasagna works

Using oven-ready noodles broken into thirds lets them cook through in a flavorful tomato broth without baking. French lentils add meaty texture and boost protein, and the vegetable mix (onion, carrot, zucchini) gives sweetness and depth. The almond ricotta—made by soaking almonds, blending with a touch of probiotic and reserved soaking liquid, then seasoning—adds tang and creaminess. A finishing spinach walnut pesto brings freshness and a nutty bite. The whole dish comes together in about an hour, with most of the work done in one skillet.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced or slivered almonds, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour
½ cup reserved soaking water
½ teaspoon probiotic powder (loose or from a capsule)
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt, to taste
1 clove garlic, finely grated with a microplane (optional)
big pinch of nutritional yeast (optional)
½ cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups spinach, packed
3 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, small dice (1 scant cup diced onion)
1 carrot, small dice (½ cup diced carrot)
1 small zucchini, small dice (½ cup diced zucchini)
⅓ cup cooked French lentils
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon chili flakes
sea salt and ground black pepper
3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce
6 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles (about 6–7), broken into thirds
1 cup almond ricotta
spinach walnut pesto
extra spinach

Make-ahead notes

You can soak the almonds the day before and refrigerate them in their soaking water. Bring them to room temperature before blending.
Almond ricotta and spinach walnut pesto can be prepared ahead and stored in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Cooked French lentils freeze well; keep a batch in the freezer for quick weeknight meals.

Equipment

Large skillet with lid (10–12 inches recommended)
High-speed blender or food processor
Microplane or grater (for optional garlic and lemon zest)
Wooden spoon or spatula

Step-by-step instructions

Prep

Drain the soaked almonds and reserve ½ cup of the soaking water. If the almonds are still warm from the soak, let them cool slightly so they’re safe to handle.
Measure and set out all ingredients: walnuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, spinach, olive oil, onion, carrot, zucchini, cooked French lentils, chili flakes, tomato sauce, oven-ready lasagna noodles broken into thirds, and sea salt and pepper. Also have the probiotic powder and nutritional yeast handy if using.

Make the almond ricotta

Place the soaked almonds in a blender or food processor. Add the reserved ½ cup soaking water, ½ teaspoon probiotic powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of sea salt to taste, and the optional microplaned garlic and big pinch of nutritional yeast if using.
Blend on high until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed and blend again. The texture should resemble ricotta—thick but spoonable. Transfer the almond ricotta to a bowl and taste for salt; adjust if necessary. Set aside. (This recipe uses 1 cup almond ricotta in the finished lasagna—reserve the rest for another use or serve extra at the table.)

Make the spinach walnut pesto

In a food processor, combine ½ cup walnut halves, 2 cloves finely minced garlic, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 2 cups packed spinach, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Process until the mixture forms a coarse, slightly saucy pesto. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or olive oil to loosen it. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

Start the skillet base

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
Add 1 small diced onion, ½ cup diced carrot, and ½ cup diced zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper while cooking.
Add ⅓ cup cooked French lentils, 2 cloves garlic (finely minced), and ½ teaspoon chili flakes to the skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Add the sauce and noodles

Pour in 3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce and stir to combine with the vegetable and lentil mixture. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the broken oven-ready lasagna noodles (6 oz, about 6–7 noodles broken into thirds), pressing them down so they’re mostly submerged in the sauce. If any noodles stick out, add a splash of water so they soften evenly.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, checking halfway through and stirring gently to prevent sticking. The noodles should be tender and the sauce slightly reduced.

Assemble and finish

Remove the skillet from the heat. Dollop about 1 cup almond ricotta in generous spoonfuls across the lasagna. Drop spoonfuls of the spinach walnut pesto over the top as well, using less or more depending on your preference.
If you like, scatter a handful of extra spinach over the top to wilt into the warm sauce. The residual heat will gently soften the leaves.
Cover the skillet again and let sit off the heat for 5 minutes so flavors meld and the ricotta warms slightly.
Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt and ground black pepper if needed. Spoon portions into bowls or onto plates and serve with extra almond ricotta and pesto on the side.

Serving suggestions

Serve this Vegan Skillet Lasagna with a crisp green salad and slices of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
A drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of extra nutritional yeast give an extra savory pop.
Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave covered for quick lunches.

Troubleshooting & tips

If the noodles are still firm when the sauce has reduced, add 2–4 tablespoons of hot water, cover, and cook a few more minutes until tender.
For a chunkier ricotta texture, pulse the almonds less or reserve a few chopped almonds to fold in after blending.
If your almond ricotta tastes flat, stir in an extra pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it.
Want more protein? Add an extra ⅓ cup cooked lentils or chopped seasoned tofu near the end of cooking.

Nutritional notes

This recipe balances plant fats from almonds and walnuts with protein-rich lentils and fiber from vegetables and spinach. Almond ricotta provides creaminess without dairy, and the pesto adds vitamin-packed greens and heart-healthy oils. Portion sizes will determine exact nutrition; this skillet is great for meal prep and makes 4 generous portions.

Quick timeline

Almond soaking: 1 hour (hands-off)
Almond ricotta: 10 minutes to blend
Pesto: 5–7 minutes
Skillet lasagna: 25–30 minutes active cooking
Total active time: ~45 minutes

Final thoughts

This Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta feels like a cozy weekend meal but is perfectly doable on a busy night. The almond ricotta is the star—tangy, creamy, and surprisingly close to the real thing—while the pesto and extra spinach lift the dish so it never feels heavy. Once you get comfortable with the soaking-and-blending routine for the ricotta, you’ll find yourself making nut-based cheeses for pasta, dips, and sandwiches all the time. Enjoy the leftovers cold on toast or warmed in the skillet for a quick satisfying meal.

Happy cooking—and when you make this skillet lasagna, know that you’ve got a reliable, flavorful plant-based recipe that doesn’t skimp on comfort.

Print Recipe Save it for later

Vegan Skillet Lasagna with Homemade Almond Ricotta

A hearty one-skillet vegan lasagna layered with homemade fermented almond ricotta and a spinach-walnut pesto.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time45

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups sliced or slivered almonds soaked in boiling water for 1 hour then drained
1/2 cup reserved soaking water
1/2 teaspoon probiotic powder loose or from a capsule
1 tablespoon olive oil for stirring into finished ricotta
sea salt to taste (some used in ricotta and savory components)
1 clove garlic for ricotta, finely grated with a microplane (optional)
big pinch nutritional yeast optional, for ricotta
1/2 cup walnut halves for pesto
2 cloves garlic for pesto, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups spinach packed, for pesto
3 tablespoons olive oil for pesto
ground black pepper to taste (used in pesto and sauce)
1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing vegetables
1 small onion small dice (about 1 scant cup diced)
1 carrot small dice (about 1/2 cup diced)
1 small zucchini small dice (about 1/2 cup diced)
1/3 cup cooked French lentils
2 cloves garlic for sauce, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
3 cups tomato sauce (about 24 oz)
6 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles about 6–7 noodles, broken into thirds
1 cup almond ricotta homemade (see recipe) or store-bought substitute
spinach walnut pesto see pesto ingredient list above or use about 3/4 cup prepared
extra spinach small handful, optional

Instructions

Make the almond ricotta: drain soaked almonds and place 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking water into a blender or food processor with the almonds; pulse until a lumpy, ricotta-like texture forms, adding more soaking water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
Transfer the blended almonds to a clean container, stir in the probiotic powder until evenly distributed, cover with a clean towel secured with a rubber band, and place in a warm spot for at least 8 hours (10 hours is common) to ferment.
After fermenting, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, sea salt to taste, the grated garlic (if using), and a pinch of nutritional yeast (optional); seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the spinach-walnut pesto: toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender or processor with 2 cloves garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 cups packed spinach, 3 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt, and pepper; pulse to chop then blend to a chunky puree, scraping down the sides as needed.
Heat a 10–11-inch deep skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the diced onion, carrot, and zucchini until the onion is translucent and the carrots soften, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/3 cup cooked French lentils, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, and salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the 3 cups (24 oz) tomato sauce, stir, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Nestle the broken oven-ready lasagna noodle pieces into the simmering sauce, pushing them down to submerge as much as possible; cover and gently simmer until the noodles are just tender, about 15–17 minutes, adding 1/4 cup water and stirring if the mixture looks too dry.
Stir the noodles and vegetables to ensure all noodles are softened. Dollop the almond ricotta and spoonfuls of the spinach walnut pesto over the top, pushing them slightly into the noodles with the back of a spoon; scatter extra spinach if using.
Replace the lid and cook the assembled lasagna for another 10 minutes to heat through, then serve hot with an optional drizzle of olive oil.