Lentil and Walnut Bolognese Lasagna

A thick, messy, cheesy and perfectly layered lasagna is the best meal you

can serve for a casual family and friend’s get­ together. This six-layer dish combines lentils, veggies, and vegan mozzarella with spiced tomato sauce in this ultimate comfort dish.

Lentil and Walnut Bolognese Lasagna [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Lasagna:

• 18 egg-­free lasagna noodles

For the Mince:

• 2 cups cooked brown lentils
• 3/4 cup, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons boiling water

For the Vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons extra ­virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow zucchini, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, diced

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 3/4 cup of dry red wine
• 3/4 cup of room temperature unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup liquid vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of fresh nutmeg, grated

For the Walnut Crumb Topping:

• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the Béchamel Sauce:

• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2/5 cup white flour
• 3 1/4 cups soy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• A pinch of sea salt

Optional Add-Ins:

• Vegan mozzarella shreds or nutritional yeast, to sprinkle between layers

Preparation

To Prep the Vegetables:

1. If using dry lentils, make these now.
2. Grate the zucchini, then squeeze the shredded zucchini in a clean dishcloth and set aside. Dice the onion and carrots and mince the garlic, and set aside.
3. Over a medium heat, in a large pan, heat the oil. Sauté the onions with bay leaves until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Stir in zucchini and carrots and cook for another 10 minutes. now the cooked lentils and sauté for 10 minutes.
5. Now bring the heat to high and pour in the red wine, and stir the mixture for 2 minutes while scraping whatever that is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
6. Bring the heat to medium and add the soya milk, bring to boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Now add the tomato sauce and vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer on a very low heat for 45 minutes. When cooked, discard the bay leaves.

To Make the Walnut Crumble Topping:

1. Preheat the oven to 355°F.
2. In a food processor, mix/pulse all the ingredients together until forms into small crumbs.

To Make the Béchamel Sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-­low heat. When the oil is warm, remove from the heat and whisk in the flour quickly. Make sure to whisk continually then bring the pan back to heat and add the cream. Whisk to combine and while still whisking, add the nutmeg and salt. Once the sauce is bubbly and thick remove from the heat and set aside.

To Assemble:

1. Pre-cook your lasagna as per the cooking instruction on the pack.
2. Start with spreading a layer of béchamel followed by the meat sauce, place three layers of noodles on top, spread with more béchamel and meat sauce. sprinkle with a little walnut crumb and cheese. Repeat the same for the remaining to create your six-­layer lasagna. Finish the last layer with the meat sauce and walnut crumb and cheese.
3. Cook in the oven for 40 minutes then cover with aluminum foil and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the lasagna has cooked and steaming hot and the top is golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on the lasagna every now and then.
4. Serve hot with your favorite green salad or mix tomato salad. For extra cheesy flavors, sprinkle over with vegan parmesan cheese.

Notes

Even though some noodles don't require pre-cooking, it's suggested that you soak your noodles for a few minutes in boiling water before assembling. Leftover lasagna can be frozen for up to 2-3 weeks.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/lentil-and-walnut-bolognese-lasagna/