Title: The Best Vegan Lasagna
Categories: Italian, Pasta
Yield: 20 Servings
2 lg Globe eggplants -OR-
3 Italian eggplants
2 ts Sea salt
2 Vegan Italian sausage links
3 cl Garlic
1/4 c Walnuts
1 tb Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c Onion; finely diced
1/2 c Carrot; finely diced
1 c Tempura batter mix
2 c Panko; up to 3 c
2 tb Italian seasoning
1 1/2 c Vegan ricotta
1/4 c JUST Egg or plant-milk
1/4 c Fresh parsley; chopped
2 ts Black pepper
5 tb Vegan butter
1/4 c All purpose flour
2 c Plant-milk
2 c Vegan mozzarella; shredded
10 oz Box lasagna noodles
7 c Marinara sauce; up to 8 c
2 tb Vegan parmesan; grated
A time tested vegan lasagna recipe you and your family will love.
Begin by preparing the eggplants by trimming them and then slicing
them into 1/2" thick "filets." Then, add a tiny pinch of salt to both
sides of each filet to draw out the excess liquid. Place them on a
kitchen towel or paper towel for about 15 minutes.
Rough chop your Italian sausage links and place them in a food
processor, together with garlic cloves, and walnuts. Pulse for about
30 seconds until you achieve the consistency of small pebbles. Set
aside. Then, to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add some
extra virgin olive oil, followed by finely diced onion and the
Italian sausage mixture. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the onion
is fragrant and add finely diced carrots. Sauté for an additional 2
minutes until the carrots are just beginning to get soft. Set aside.
After the eggplants are done "sweating," preheat your oven to 450°F.
Then, prepare the tempura batter by whisking together the tempura
batter mix, a pinch of salt, and 1-1/4 cup of cold water in a large,
but shallow pan (I used a medium brownie pan). Next, add panko to a
shallow tray (I used a sheet pan), together with Italian seasoning,
and 1/2 ts of salt. Dip each of the eggplant filets into the tempura
batter, followed by a light coating of panko. Set them on a baking
sheet (I needed two). Give them a good spray with some cooking spray
(or a drizzle of oil) and place them in the oven for about 25
minutes. Flip the eggplant and bake for another 7 minutes, until both
sides are golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and set them
aside.
To make the ricotta layer for this vegan lasagna, simply add your
vegan ricotta to a large bowl, and mix it together with the fresh
chopped parsley, JUST Egg (or plant-based milk), 1/2 ts of salt, and
1/2 ts of black pepper. Set that aside.
For the creamy béchamel, begin by adding a little vegan butter to a
deep, medium-sized pan over medium heat. When it's just melted, add
the flour. Whisk over low heat until the mixture turns bubbly and a
light caramel color (about 2 minutes). Whisk in your plant-milk until
it becomes thick and bubbly (about 2 minutes). Then, whisk in your
vegan mozzarella and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth
and creamy (about 2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous helping of salt.
Then, add your lasagna noodles to the pot and boil lasagna noodles
until they are al dente (i.e., about 3/4 of the time they need to be
totally cooked). To keep them from drying out and sticking as you
assemble the lasagna, keep them submerged in water.
First, preheat your oven to 375°F. Then, to a large casserole dish
(12x9"), add the following (in this order): 2 cups of the tomato
sauce to the bottom of the pan, cooked lasagna noodles (cutting them
to make them fit if necessary), 3 to 4 generous dollops of ricotta
mixture on each strip of pasta, 3 to 4 large spoonfuls of Italian
sausage mixture scattered loosely over the noodles, 4 to 6 breaded
eggplant filets, 2 cups of the tomato sauce, cooked lasagna noodles,
3 to 4 generous dollops of ricotta mixture on each strip of pasta, 3
to 4 large spoonfuls of Italian sausage mixture scattered loosely
over the noodles, 4 to 6 breaded eggplant filets, half of the creamy
béchamel, cooked lasagna noodles, 3 to 4 generous dollops of ricotta
mixture on each strip of pasta, 3 to 4 large spoonfuls of Italian
sausage mixture scattered loosely over the noodles, remaining tomato
sauce, remaining half of the creamy béchamel, and grated parmesan
and black pepper.
