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My lasagna casserole is everything you want from lasagna without the layering, babysitting, or extra dishes. It bakes up saucy and stays together, with perfectly cooked noodles, a rich tomato base, and a creamy cheese layer that melts into every bite.

Serve it alongside Panzanella Toscana or a classic Vegetarian Caesar Salad for an epic Italian dinner.

A serving of cheesy baked lasagna is being lifted from a casserole dish, with slices of bread and a plated portion nearby on a green surface.
It’s lasagna…but dump-and-bale casserole style! So easy to put together that it turns this usual holiday dish into a weeknight staple.
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I’m a lasagna lover just as much as the next person, but the idea of layering it and spending hours babysitting a sauce is just not where I’m at with a newborn. As a food scientist with years of vegetarian recipes under my belt, I knew I could make an easier high-protein vegetarian lasagna!

Baked lasagna in a white casserole dish with a serving spoon, topped with melted cheese and sprinkled herbs. Some portions have been served.

There are 3 things that make all the difference when making a meatless baked pasta dish that isn’t layered, but rather just dumped into the casserole dish.

  1. Break up the noodles: Breaking up the oven-ready noodles meant every bite had perfectly cooked pasta. Oven-ready (or “no boil” noodles are key!
  2. Cottage cheese + cornstarch: In lieu of ricotta or bechamel, we blend together cottage cheese and cornstarch. It creates a ricotta-like layer that stays creamy and doesn’t separate or turn gritty.
  3. Pre-cooking the plant-based ground beef: Starting with browned “beef” builds savory depth and keeps excess moisture from watering down the sauce, which is a common issue in vegetarian lasagna bakes.
A close-up of a fork lifting a cheesy portion of baked lasagna from a bowl, showing melted cheese, meat sauce, and pasta layers. Slices of bread are in the background.

Key Ingredients

  • Plant-Based Ground Beef: We’ve made it with almost every brand, and they all work well. For a more traditional veggie meat vibe, go with Abbot’s or Gardein. For a crowd of meat-lovers, go with Beyond Beef or Impossible.
  • Cottage Cheese: Blended smoothly, it mimics ricotta while boosting protein and creating a creamier, more stable sauce that doesn’t get watery.
  • Cornstarch: Helps the cheese layer set so you get those beautiful casserole slices instead of slumping.
  • Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles: Designed for no-boil recipes, but require proper liquid distribution to cook evenly.
  • Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite brand or make homemade marinara.
  • Mozzarella: Grate from a block for better melt and browning without greasiness.
Flat lay of Lazy Lasagna Casserole ingredients labeled: no-boil noodles, marinara, water, cottage cheese, mozzarella, garlic, vegetarian ground beef, seasoning, and cornstarch for an easy dump and bake recipe on a green surface.

More meatless options

Yes! With plant-based ground beef, this isn’t a true dump-and-bake because we have to brown the beef first, but here are some other options, including ones you don’t need to pre-cook:

  • Lentils: Lentils work great here, just be sure to pre-cook them. Lentils are regarded as having a very hearty and meaty texture and flavor, so they mimic ground beef well.
  • Mushrooms & Walnuts: Just be sure to finely chop these to mimic the texture of ground beef. These can just be dumped in!
  • Crumbled Tofu: Add a little soy sauce and pan-fry it before adding to your lasagna for a meaty texture.
A baked lasagna in a white casserole dish with a serving removed, showing layers of pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese. A serving spoon rests in the dish.

Veggies to pack into your lasagna

Of course, I want to give guidance on adding more vegetables to your no-layer lasagna! The key is keeping that moisture ratio in check, so options like finely chopped carrots and frozen peas all work well.

If you use a wetter veggie like bell peppers, spinach, eggplant, or artichoke hearts, you’ll need to either saute them to release any extra moisture or pat canned items very dry before adding.

P.S. For a more traditional lasagna, try my vegetable lasagna with bechamel!

Baked Lazy Lasagna in a white dish with a serving removed, showing layers of pasta, sauce, and melted cheese; the perfect dump and bake vegetarian casserole with a serving spoon resting inside.
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Vegetarian Lasagna Casserole (Dump & Bake)

5 from 1 rating
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
This lasagna casserole is saucy, cheesy and packed with tender noodles, rich tomato sauce and creamy melted cheese — no layering or extra dishes required!

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb plant-based ground beef, we used Beyond Beef, 450 g
  • 1 24-oz tub whole milk cottage cheese, 680 g
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 24-oz jar marinara, 680 g
  • 1 cup water, 236 mL
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 12 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles, 340 g
  • 8 oz mozzarella, grated from block, 226 g
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Cook "Beef": In a large saute pan on the stove with a splash of oil, crumble and cook 1 lb plant-based ground beef until browned.
    Cooked ground vegan meat with spices in a frying pan, stirred with a wooden spoon, on a green textured surface.
  • Blend: Using a countertop or handheld blender, blend 1 24-oz tub whole milk cottage cheese and 2 Tbsp cornstarch until smooth.
    A top-down view of a blender containing a creamy white mixture on a green countertop.
  • Sauce: To a 9×13 inch casserole dish, dump in cooked "beef", 1 24-oz jar marinara, 1 cup water (shake the water around the marinara jar to get the rest of the sauce), 3 cloves garlic (minced), and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
    White baking dish containing cooked ground vegan meat, tomato sauce, minced garlic, and a pile of dried Italian herbs, all unmixed, on a dark green surface.
  • Lasagna Noodles: Roughly break 12 oz oven-ready lasagna noodles into large (2 to 3 inch) pieces. Stir them into the sauce to evenly coat, then gently flatten into the casserole dish.
    A casserole dish filled with layered pasta sheets and meat sauce, resembling an unbaked or deconstructed lasagna, on a green surface.
  • Cheese: Pour blended cottage cheese mixture evenly over the pasta. Grate 8 oz mozzarella and sprinkle it over the dish.
    Rectangular baking dish filled with an unbaked casserole topped with a layer of shredded cheese on a dark green surface.
  • Bake: Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pasta is al dente (mostly tender but still has a little firmness in the middle) and sauce is bubbling at the edges.
    Uncover and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until cheese is a little browned and pasta is tender.
    Baked lasagna in a white casserole dish with a serving spoon, topped with melted cheese and sprinkled herbs. Some portions have been served.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered to maintain moisture and even heat.
Freezes well once baked; thaw overnight before reheating for best texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1220mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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5 from 1 vote

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4 Comments

  1. Laura says:

    Any suggestions for a dairy free version?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      You could try silken tofu in place of the cottage cheese, and vegan mozzarella!

  2. Muffy says:

    5 stars
    Super easy and so tasty! I used reg noodles (cause I was too lazy to go out) and just added more water. Turned out great. I may have used more cheese than you recommended…just because I could. Will def make again.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Happy you enjoyed it, thanks for cooking with us!