Description
This recipe came up because my room-mate has been craving lasagna and since I follow a plant-based diet, we decided to convert her recipe so we both could eat it.
We all know that lasagna is a dish that takes time to make but is always so worth it and rewarding.
I didn’t use pasta sheets but instead, I sliced zucchini and eggplant to accommodate her diet restrictions on carbs. The sauce was another part of the transformation, I needed to substitute the ground meats (beef and pork) with two types of mushrooms and cooked green lentils.
I used my favourite plant-based cheeses from Violife ( shredded cheddar-style, mozzarella-style and parmesan-style).
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp EVOO ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil).
- 1 large onion, diced.
- 2 large carrots, diced .
- 2 celery stalks, diced.
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped.
- 300 g mushrooms (I used cremini and oyster).
- 560 g cooked green lentil (or brown lentils).
- Optional (1 cup green peas, for more protein).
- Optional (3 cups chopped kale).
- Optional ( 2 cups chopped broccoli).
- 680 ml passata sauce.
- salt and pepper to taste.
- 1-2 tsp dry oregano.
- 1–2 tsp dry basil.
- Fresh parsley to sprinkle at the end.
For the bechamel:
- 3/4 cup soaked cashews .
- 1 cup any plant-based mylk (I used organic unsweetened soy).
- 350 g cauliflower.
- 1 tbsp miso paste.
- 5 tbsp nutritional yeast.
- A dash of black pepper.
Substitute for pasta:
- 1 Large eggplant
- 1 Large zucchini
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Wash and slice the zucchini and eggplant with a mandolin, place them on a greased cookie tray and sprinkle some olive oil and a little salt on both sides. Bake one side for 10 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 minutes until soft. Take out of the oven and set aside.
Increase oven temperature to 400F.
Boil some water to soak the cashews and let them stand for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how powerful your blender is.
Wash the cauliflower and cut into smaller florets. Add the pieces to a saucepan and almost cover with water. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain the water.
Drained the cashews and add them to your blender with the mylk, nutritional yeast and the cooked cauliflower and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the miso paste and black pepper blend to combine—taste for salt.
For the sauce:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, drizzle the EVOO to sauté the onions and garlic until translucent approx 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms. After 6-8 minutes, add the carrots and celery for an additional 6-8 minutes, add the remanding spices and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked lentils and the passata sauce (if too thick, add a splash of water or vegetable stock) and let it simmer on medium-low heat covered for 10 minutes.
Assemble the lasagna:
In an ovenproof glass or ceramic dish, 9 x 13 inches, spread 1/3 of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom, followed by 1/4 of the bechamel sauce and add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Layer the slices of backed zucchini until well covered and repeat with another layer of the tomato sauce spreading evenly, followed by the bechamel and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add a layer of the baked eggplant and top with sauce, bechamel and finishing with cheeses.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until you see the sauce bubbling. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle some parsley and serve with a green salad.