The tofu in this vegan lasagna recipe creates a mock ricotta cheese that is very tasty indeed!
I just want to say, “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it”! So many people get queasy at the sound of tofu. Yes, it’s bean curds, but, mixed with the right ingredients, it can almost be ricotta cheese, and that’s how someone on a vegan diet can have yummy treats like lasagna! If you’d like to give it a try, there are meat substitutes involved as well so there is much less saturated fat by eliminating the meat and cheese. Think about it and then give it a try – once can’t hurt you!
Ingredients List:
- ¾ lb. lasagna noodles
(Even gluten free is tasty) - 2-10 oz. pkgs. frozen spinach
- 1-16 oz. pkg. firm tofu
- ¼ cup almond milk
(Rice or soy will work as well) - 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Fresh basil (I had dried only)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1-2 jars organic pasta sauce
- 1 pkg. Smart Grounds
- Shredded mozzarella cheese for vegetarians and
Mozzarella flavored veggie shreds for vegans
Instructions:
1. Cook the lasagna noodles following the package directions. Drain when done.
2. Next, thaw the spinach and drain out any excess water. To make the “ricotta”
put tofu, milk, garlic, lemon juice, basil and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure the “ricotta” is well blended but still has the look of curded cheese.
3. Place the tofu mixture in a large bowl and add the spinach. Do a little taste test and add more salt if necessary.
4. For the meat mixture, place veggie grounds in a bowl and add about a jar and a half of the pasta sauce to the grounds. Mix up and determine if you would like more sauce. It’s all about personal preference!
Now is a good time to preheat your oven unless it takes a long time to heat up. Put it at 350 degrees.
5. Now it’s time to start the layering. First take a spoon of the meat mixture and lightly spread it on the bottom of your 9 x 13 pan. Next comes a layer of noodles (use about 1/3), then half of the “ricotta” mixture.
The next layer is ½ of the meat mixture, mozzarella cheese, ½ of the noodles, and the rest of the “ricotta”.
The third set of layers is almost all the rest of the meat mixture (leave some for the top), mozzarella cheese, the rest of the noodles and then brush the top of the noodles with whatever meat sauce you have left. Sprinkle with fresh or dried basil.
Bake for 45 minutes until the ricotta cheese mixture and sauce is hot and bubbling.
When I make this lasagna, I do half with mozzarella cheese and the other half with veggie shreds so everyone in my family is satisfied. It’s even a dish I took to a pot luck dinner and got rave reviews! Enjoy!
Shari
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