Vegan Gluten Free Lasagna

Lasagna cravings, healthier calories.

(GF/ VEG/ VE)

This is a vegan dish that will knock your socks off.

I love making it for my friends/their boyfriends/husbands, because even those who don’t regularly eat vegan dishes really enjoy it. There’s even been a comment “it’s better than real lasagna”!!

This is a vegan ‘lasagna meets moussaka’, as we’re not using any pasta sheets, meat or cheese. Instead we’re replacing these items with more gut-friendly ingredients.

Here are the replacements:

Lasagna sheets = Baked eggplant and zucchini slices
‘Cheese’ = Basil Cashew Cream
Filling = Tomato sauce with lentils or mushrooms.

Not going to lie this is a labour of love, but it is ABSOLUTELY worth it! I can guarantee it’s worth the effort, enjoy :) xx

Ingredients

3 large zucchinis
2 large eggplants
1 cup of soaked cashews
1 can of lentils (drained) OR 1 cup of minced mushrooms
1 jar of tomato pasta sauce (I like Barilla Basilico Pasta Sauce )
Fresh herbs for the topping (ie. Parsley or Thyme).
1/2 onion (minced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
Toppings: Parsley and pinenuts.
Condiments/ Spices: Olive oil, paprika, mixed herbs and salt & pepper.

Method

Vegan Pasta Sheets

These take the longest to cook, so get them in the oven first.

1. CUT Eggplants lengthways with about 1/2cm thickness, and peel the zucchinis.

2. SEASON with olive oil, paprika, mixed herbs.

3. GRILL for eggplants for 30 minutes at 180 deg and zucchinis for 15 mins. Let them cool and check to peel off the bottom ones so they don’t get stuck on the tray.

Note: I would use baking paper instead of next time to try and avoid the zucchinis from sticking to the tray.

Cashew Cream

4. BLITZ 1 cup of cashews, 1/2 cup of water, handful of basil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

5.REMOVE from pan, place in a separate bowl and add some extra olive oil and S&P to taste.

Blitzing the cashew nuts, basil, olive oil and water for ‘Vegan Cheese.’

Tomato Sauce

6. HEAT up a pan with olive oil and lightly fry a handful of chopped up onions and garlic (about 3 chopped up cloves).

7. ADD the lentils, capsicum and mix with the onions and garlic for around 5 mins.

8. POUR in the tomato paste in the pan and mix everything for around 5 mins. Don’t over cook it because it will dry up and you still need to bake the lasagna after you assemble it.

Assembling the Lasagna

9. START with eggplant layer at the bottom, then use a spatula to add a layer of tomato sauce, add a zucchini later, then use a spatula to add the vegan cashew cream.

10. REPEAT until your tray is full. Optional to garnish with extra basil and parsley on top.

12. BAKE for 35 mins at 180 deg on grill.

Every time I make this, I am so amazed it’s all vegan ingredients. I absolutely love the cashew cream with basil and the lentils give off the texture of minced beef.

The best part is that it’s even BETTER the next day. I think it’s because it holds well in the fridge overnight. Please don’t let this recipe intimidate you it’s super fun and worth every bite. YUMMYY!!!!

This dish is all veggie no ‘pasta sheets’ and dairy free. Even my meat eating boyfriend loves this lasagna. Perhaps he’s bias though…

For the sheets, I used eggplant and zucchini slices which need to be roasted first (to avoid a soggy lasagna). It’s the most tedious part but you CAN’T skip it please.

As we’re cutting down on cheese, I made vegan cheese with blitzed soaked cashew nuts. Add some herbs here like basil or parsley for a herby-creamy taste.

Here it is, lock yourself away for the next 1.5 hours:

Tips

Buy the largest zucchinis available. This will give you fat long ‘sheets.’ Also, cut to top and bottom off (around 2cm), so it’s easier to peel.
If you have a mandolin, it would be easier to slice the eggplants and zucchinis.
Make sure the top layer is eggplant, because the zucchinis are thin and might burn.

Made by You!

Julie from Lincolnshire, England.

Hanna from Singapore.

Caro from Belgium

Mains, Meals, VeganLizbeth Pal-DevelterJuly 13, 2021vegan, vegetarian, lasagna, gluten freeComment