Tomato and Vegetable Lasagna

Packed with veggies, homemade sauce, and plant-based cheese, this lasagna is perfect for
any occasion. It's layered with baked eggplant slices and a savory mushroom mince that replaces meat. The lasagna has a really yummy ricotta cheese layer that tastes just like the real thing. It's light and fluffy and perfect for stuffed shells as well.

Tomato and Vegetable Lasagna [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

For the Pasta:

• 1 box dry no-boil lasagna noodles (gluten-free if needed)

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 large carrot grated
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons mixed Italian herbs
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes or passata sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

For the "Ricotta" Cheese Layer:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 14-ounce packet firm tofu
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• A big pinch of pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil

For the Mushroom Layer:

• 12 White Button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Eggplant Layer:

• 1 eggplant, thinly sliced
• A pinch of salt
• A drizzle of olive oil

Preparation

To Make the Sauce:

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion carrot and celery and sauté until vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Add garlic, Italian herbs and salt and pepper and cook a few more minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered with a lid for about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and mix in non-dairy milk and coconut sugar.

To Make the "Ricotta" Cheese:

1. Lightly fry your onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add your tofu to a food processor with the basil, lemon juice, and salt. Add the cooked onion and garlic and pulse a few times until the mixture comes together. You want it to have a ricotta texture, so do not over do it so that it becomes a paste.

To Make the Eggplant:

1. Thinly slice your eggplant lengthways and season with a little olive oil and salt. Grill on a wire rack in your oven for about 10 minutes and set aside.

To Make the Mushrooms:

1. In your food processor, pulse your mushrooms until they are finely chopped and resemble mince.
2. These will replace your mince. Season with the salt, pepper, dry basil, and paprika. Fry the mushrooms in a little oil for a few minutes until they have reduced.

To Assemble:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and get your baking pan ready. Start with a layer of sauce. Add four noodles, followed by sauce, then half of the mushroom mixture.
2. Add eggplant slices, half the ricotta mixture, then four noodles, sauce, and the remaining mushroom mixture.
3. Top that with four more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, the rest of the noodles, and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast, if desired.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

The recipe is inspired by bolognese lasagne from Chloe Cascarelli’s book “Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen."

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/tomato-and-vegetable-lasagna/