Vegan Lasagna Recipe
Offer your family a delicious plant-based baked wide noodle dish and salad. Additionally, prepare vegan bolognese and moussaka using meatless ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- Several sprigs of thyme
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 100ml vegan red wine (optional)
- 250g dry green lentils
- 2 x 400g cans whole plum tomatoes
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
- 250g portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 6 tablespoons plain flour
- 900ml soy milk
- 1 whole nutmeg, grated
- 12 lasagna sheets
- 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for a cheesy taste)
- Vegetable salad, for serving
Method:
Step 1: Pour 800ml boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms and let sit for 10 minutes until hydrated. Meanwhile, heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt. Gently cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until softened. Remove the porcini from the liquid, roughly chop, and set both aside. Step 2: Add garlic and thyme to the skillet. Cook for a minute, then stir in tomato paste for another minute. Pour in the red wine if using, simmer until almost evaporated, then add lentils, reserved mushroom liquid, and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer. Step 3: Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Add 1½ tablespoons of oil and all mushrooms, including rehydrated mushrooms. Sauté until all moisture evaporates, and mushrooms turn golden. Pour in soy sauce, mix well, and scrape the mushrooms into the lentil pot. Step 4: Stir in Marmite and continue cooking the sauce, stirring occasionally, over low to medium heat for 30-45 minutes until lentils are cooked, the sauce thickens, and reduces. Add extra water if needed. Remove thyme sprigs and adjust seasoning. Step 5: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. To make the white sauce, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan, add flour, cook for a few minutes to remove raw flour taste, then slowly whisk in soy milk. Cook for about 10 minutes until creamy. Season, add grated nutmeg. Step 6: Layer one-third of the bolognese at the bottom of a baking dish, then lay six lasagna sheets over it, followed by one-third of the vegan white sauce, then one-third of the bolognese again. Top with the remaining lasagna sheets, the remaining bolognese, and finish with the remaining white sauce. If using, sprinkle nutritional yeast and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the lasagna sheets are cooked.
Can I Freeze Vegan Lasagna?
Vegan lasagna freezes very well. It can be frozen individually or as one large portion. Disposable foil trays or enamel pie dishes are useful for this. Ensure the top is tightly covered with cling film or foil. Assemble the lasagna in layers according to the recipe, then tightly wrap and store in the freezer for up to a month. Vegan lasagna can thaw overnight and then be cooked as per the recipe.
Can I Make Vegan Lasagna Ahead?
You can prepare the lasagna a day in advance and refrigerate it. When cooking, allow an additional 15 minutes of cooking time.
How to Reheat Frozen Vegan Lasagna
After removing from the refrigerator, we suggest covering the lasagna with foil and initially cooking at 160C/140 fan/gas 3 for about 40 minutes. Then remove the foil, increase the heat and continue cooking according to the recipe or until fully cooked.
Are Lasagna Sheets Vegan?
Many brands of lasagna sheets are made from durum wheat flour and water without eggs. Check the ingredients to ensure the sheets you purchase are egg-free and suitable for a vegan diet.
How to Make Vegan White Sauce?
Vegan white sauce is straightforward to make and thickens similarly to traditional dairy-based sauces. Any non-dairy milk can be used; we’ve used soy milk, but you can easily use almond, rice, or oat milk. Just make sure you’re not buying sweetened milk. Flour and olive oil create a great roux that thickens the sauce. For added flavor, try adding bay leaves and a bit of grated nutmeg, and don’t forget to season well. Your finished lasagna will benefit from a touch of nutritional yeast flakes for an extra cheesy flavor.
Variations for Vegan Lasagna
While bolognese sauce is widely loved, everyone’s preferences differ. Some prefer a sauce rich in vegetables, while others enjoy the freshness of the Marmite and nutritional yeast flakes. We have several vegan bolognese recipes that you can substitute into this recipe, including an amazing jackfruit bolognese.
Conclusion:
This detailed recipe for Vegan Lasagna provides an array of flavors from the lentil-mushroom bolognese sauce, creamy white sauce, and perfectly cooked lasagna sheets. It offers a hearty and comforting dish that can be prepared ahead or frozen for convenience while still catering to a vegan dietary preference.