Vegan Lasagna

Going meatless doesn't mean saying goodbye to flavor! For proof, try this vegan lasagna.

COOK TIME 20
PREP TIME 60
SKILL LEVEL Medium
SERVES 4

We recommend…

100% ITALIANO SUSTAINABLE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Robust and intense, this 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil adds a bold kick to this dish.

INGREDIENTS

Lentil Sauce

  • 1 / small yellow onion
  • 1 / carrot
  • 1 / celery stalk
  • 3 tablespoons / Zucchi 100% Italiano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 cup / dried red lentils
  • 14 ounces / tomato purée
  • 1 tablespoon / tomato paste
  • 1 sprig / fresh rosemary
  • to taste / salt
  • to taste / black pepper

Béchamel Sauce

  • 1 liter / unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon / sunflower seed oil
  • 1/2 cup / all-purpose flour
  • to taste / ground nutmeg
  • to taste / salt

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

  • 1/2 cup / shelled almonds
  • 1 tablespoon / nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon / sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon / sunflower seeds

  • 1/2 pound / spelt lasagna noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the lentil sauce:

Prepare the base for the sauce by chopping the onion, carrot, and celery finely.

Transfer to a wide saucepan and simmer over low heat with the extra virgin olive oil for 5-10 minutes. When the vegetables start to turn golden, add the washed, thoroughly drained lentils. Stir and allow to absorb the flavor for a couple of minutes before pouring in the tomato purée and the tomato paste diluted in a glass of water.

Add the salt and the rosemary then cover and leave to cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time and adding water if the sauce dries out too much. When cooked the lentils must be soft but still whole and the sauce must be thick. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove the rosemary.

To make the béchamel sauce:

Heat the milk. Heat the sunflower seed oil in a separate saucepan, take off the heat and add the flour, stirring briskly to make a lump-free paste.

Return to heat and allow to turn golden, stirring constantly, then add the milk a little at a time. Season with salt and nutmeg and continue cooking over low heat until it reaches a gentle boil.

To make the vegan Parmesan cheese:

Chop the almonds, yeast, and sesame and sunflower seeds in the mixer until the consistency is fine but grainy.

To assemble the lasagna:

Bring a pan of salted water with a spoonful of oil to a boil. Blanch the lasagna for a couple of minutes as instructed on the package, then drain and spread on a clean cloth.

Pour a ladle of béchamel sauce onto the bottom of the oven dish and arrange a layer of lasagna on top, then a little more béchamel and some spoonfuls of lentil sauce. Continue with more layers until the ingredients have been used up.

Sprinkle the surface with the vegan Parmesan, top with a dribble of oil. Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from oven and leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.