Tomato & Spinach "Ricotta" Vegan Lasagna
I guarantee this vegan lasagna will turn even the most carnivorous skeptics into believers that plant-based food can be insanely delicious! It is somewhat labor-intensive, but it makes ample food and is worth every step!
Equipment
- 13x9x2 pyrex casserole dish
Ingredients
TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounce can tomato paste
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 0.5 ounces fresh basil roughly chopped(approx 1/2 cup)
SPINACH TOFU RICOTTA
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped into 1/4" pcs(approx 1/2 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 14 oz extra firm tofu drained and crumbled
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cups frozen spinach
- 0.5 oz fresh basil roughly chopped(approx 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
CASHEW BECHAMEL
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 2 1/2 cups room temp water
- 1/3 cup arrowroot starch sub cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
ASSEMBLY
- oven-ready no boil lasagna noodles amt will depend on brand, suggest 2 boxes
Instructions
MAKE TOMATO SAUCE:
- Combine salt through onion powder in a small bowl. Heat a large sauté pan or dutch oven to medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic and spices. You can add a splash of water as well to avoid sticking. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant (approximately 1 minute). Add remaining ingredients and turn heat to low. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until lentils are softened and have thickened the sauce (approximately 15 minutes).
MAKE SPINACH TOFU RICOTTA:
- Heat a medium saucepan to medium heat and add olive oil and a splash of water. Add onion and cook, stirring periodically, until softened and translucent (8-10 minutes). Add garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Set mixture aside to cool 5 minutes. Combine garlic/onion mixture and remaining ricotta tofu mixture to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
MAKE CASHEW BECHAMEL:
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover with hot tap water (NOT the 2 1/2 cups water listed in the ingredients). Soak for one hour, then rinse and drain. Combine chews and all remaining béchamel ingredients in a high powered blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat to simmer. Simmer, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens into a smooth, stretchy consistency (like melted cheese). Set aside and immediately start to assemble lasagna.
ASSEMBLE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease casserole dish evenly however you like—spray, butter, oil etc. Layer in the following order: -- 1/3 spinach ricotta -- lasagna noodles (can break them to create one uniform layer) -- 1/3 tomato sauce -- 1/4 cashew cheese (this doesn’t need to cover it completely, just spread a few dollops around -- lasagna noodles -- 1/3 spinach ricotta -- 1/3 tomato sauce --1/4 cashew cheese (this doesn’t need to cover it completely, just spread a few dollops around lasagna noodles -- 1/3 spinach ricotta -- 1/3 tomato sauce -- lasagna noodles -- remaining 1/2 cashew cheese. It’s important to spread this over the entire top layer of noodles; otherwise they won’t cook and will be hard Bake lasagna for 50 minutes. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes, but ideally overnight before serving. To reheat, place individual servings in the oven at 350 until warmed through.
