I found it! The perfect vegan recipe to serve to meat/dairy-eating friends and family. With a tofu-based ricotta that would fool any lasagna enthusiast, this recipe is packed with healthy ingredients, but doesn’t skimp on flavor or texture. The last time I made it, I found myself literally licking the pan once the leftovers had been packed up. The original recipe, which I’ve modified from Hummusapien.com, was shared with me about a month ago by a friend. I’ve made it every week since then, and may have officially reached obsession status. Give it a try and you’ll be hooked too.
Nutrition Highlights:
- A diet rich in whole grains, like the whole wheat pasta used in this recipe, can lower your risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
- Tomatoes appear especially protective against prostate cancer—an effect that may be partially explained by their high lycopene (a red pigment) content.
- Mushrooms and tofu are two foods that may help prevent breast cancer by lowering estrogen activity in our body.
- Green peas are rich in fiber, plant-based protein, and potassium—all of which promote good cardiovascular health and can lower our risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Spinach is rich in plant-based nitrates that can help lower blood pressure when converted into nitric oxide, a gas that keeps our blood vessels healthy.
- Garlic and onions are members of the allium vegetable family. They both support good cardiovascular health and have anti-cancer properties.
The Best Vegan Lasagna
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Noodles
- About 15 whole wheat, non-cook, lasagna noodles (If you can't find non-cook noodles, cook them al dente according to the package)
Sauce
- 5 cups of natural marinara sauce
Veggies
- 1 zucchini, chopped into dice-sized pieces
- 4 ounces (half of an 8oz package) of white button or cremini mushrooms, destemmed and chopped
- ½ of a small yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 1 cup of chopped, frozen spinach
Tofu Ricotta
- 2 - 14oz packages of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed (wrap in a clean towel or papper towel and press to remove as much moisture as possible)
- 1 - 8oz package of original hummus
- ½ cup of nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup of fresh basil (I use a ⅔oz package), finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add the zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, onion, and a splash of water. Sauté for five minutes. Add the frozen peas and spinach and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the veggies are cooking, over a medium-sized mixing bowl, use your hands to break down the tofu blocks into ricotta-like crumbles. Add the hummus, nutritional yeast, fresh basil, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
- In a 9x13 baking pan, spread one cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom. Add a partially overlapping layer of noodles (about five), followed by half of the tofu ricotta mix, half of the sautéed veggies, and one cup of the marinara sauce (all spread evenly across the pan). Add another partially overlapping layer of noodles, followed by the rest of the ricotta mixture, sautéed veggies, and another cup of marinara sauce. Add the final layer of noodles and top with the last two cups of marinara.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, return to oven, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
This recipe is best enjoyed with family and friends while listening to Dean Martin's "Volare".
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