Classic Vegan Lasagna

If I could share one recipe with a vegan newbie or someone who is curious about going vegan, it would be this one. This lasagna is so easy to make, tastes freakishly similar to the non-vegan version, and will feed a crowd for pennies per serving. What more could you want!

Let me tell you guys, it’s all about the tofu “ricotta”. Five ingredients and a food processor is all it takes to transform a typically bland ingredient like tofu into something magical. I could eat it with a spoon right out of the food processor, and I sometimes do!

RECIPE

(Serves 6)

• 1 package lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions minus a couple minutes cooking time to keep al dente, and rinsed briefly with cool water. **See note at the end on lasagna noodles.

• 48 oz. marinara sauce. My favorite to use when I don’t have any homemade sauce prepared is one 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes mixed with one jar of store-bought pasta sauce, like Barilla.

• 1 batch Tofu Ricotta (see below)

Tofu Ricotta recipe:

• 1 package firm tofu, excess water drained and squeezed out with paper towels

• 1/4 c. nutritional yeast

• 3 T olive oil

• 1 T lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

• A pinch of garlic powder

• A handful of fresh basil, or a sprinkle of dried basil (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, like in the photo below.

If you are feeling extra fancy, you can blend some thawed and squeezed-dry frozen spinach into the tofu ricotta as well. Totally not necessary, but it’s fun to see the possibilities!

Those are the only ingredients you need for a delicious lasagna. However, if you wish to be fancy and dress it up a bit, you can add extra ingredients as you are layering, such as:

• Veggies (like mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, or kale) pre-cooked in a pan

• Cooked Italian-style vegan sausage

• Vegan mozzarella shreds (like Follow Your Heart brand or Miyokos)

ASSEMBLY

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Start by spooning a base of sauce in the bottom of a large lasagna pan or casserole dish (9x13).

Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Then spoon on dollops of tofu ricotta across the noodles, along with any extra add-ins, if you are using them.

Spoon more sauce on top of these fillings, then repeat the process by adding another layer of noodles, more tofu ricotta, etc. Keep layering until you run out of ingredients. I like to finish with dollops of tofu ricotta or vegan mozzarella shreds on the top layer for visual purposes. Make sure you save enough sauce to cover the top!

Bake for a total of 25-30 minutes: Bake covered with foil for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until liquid is bubbling rapidly on the sides of the pan and you can smell the lasagna throughout the kitchen!

This is an excellent meal to make for your family on Domenica Italiana, or Italian Sunday!

Buon appetito!

**Note on lasagna noodles: The way lasagna tastes the best is by using the noodles that you have to boil in water first. The oven-ready noodles available in stores still work if you’re short on time, but they won’t taste as delicious. However, if you are short on time and you want to use them, make sure you use extra sauce to cover the noodles completely, as they need a lot of liquid to cook thoroughly. Also, let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes or so after you have assembled it, but before you put it in the oven to bake. This way the noodles can absorb the liquid and soften completely.