Lasagne 3 Ways

Lentil Lasagne

Ready in 1.5 hours

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium courgette diced
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 250g small chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 100g dried red split lentils
  • 2 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp bouillon
  • 150g/5½oz fresh young spinach leaves
  • 9–10 dried lasagne sheets
  • salt and ground black pepper

For the white sauce

  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 100g/3½oz plain flour
  • 800ml/1¼ pint plant based milk
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick saucepan and fry the onion for 3–4 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring. Add the courgette, pepper and mushrooms and fry for 12 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more, then stir in the red lentils, tomatoes, oregano and bouillon
  • Refill one of the tomato tins with water (400ml/14fl oz) and pour into the pan. Stir well, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the spinach leaves, a handful at a time and cook for 1–2 minutes more.
  • While the vegetables are simmering, make the white sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. When it is hot add the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for 1 minute. Stir in the milk, yeast and nutmeg and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly with a whisk over a moderate heat for 4–5 minutes, or until smooth and thickened. Adjust the seasoning to taste – you’ll need more black pepper than you might imagine.
  • Spread a third of the vegetable mixture over the base of an ovenproof lasagne dish and cover with a single layer of lasagne sheets. Top with another third of the vegetable mixture (don’t worry if it doesn’t cover evenly) and a second layer of lasagne.
  • Pour over just under half of the white sauce, and very gently top with the remaining vegetable mixture. Finish with a final layer of lasagne and the rest of the white sauce.
  • Bake for 35–40 minutes, or the pasta has softened and the topping is nicely browned and bubbling. 

Tips

Stand for 5 minutes before cutting to allow the filling to settle.

Vegan TVP Bolognese

  • 1 cup approx. 65g organic dry textured soy protein
  • Lasagne Sheets (Gluten Free also available in the shop)
  • Enough water or bouillon to cover
  • 1 medium yellow onion minced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 large button mushrooms finely diced
  • 1 carrot finely diced
  • 1 handful frozen or fresh spinach minced
  • 1 can 400g diced tomatoes (I used canned cherry tomatoes, which are sweeter)
  • 500 g 515ml tomato passata (plain tomato sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce/ tamari (if you want it Gluten Free)
  • For the white sauce
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 100g/3½oz plain flour
  • 800ml/1¼ pint plant based milk
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • GRATED CHEESE OPTIONAL FOR TOPPING

INSTRUCTIONS 

Vegan Bolognese

  • Place the textured soy protein in a large bowl and cover with water or, ideally, vegetable bouillon. Set aside. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion, garlic, mushrooms and carrot.
  • In a large pan on medium-high heat, sauté the onion in 1 teaspoon oil or water for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrots and cook until the mushrooms have released their water, about 5 minutes.
  • Drain your soy protein well and add to the pan. Cook for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, spinach, dried oregano and basil, and soy sauce and let simmer for 10 minutes. Finally, add the fresh basil.
  • Make the white sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. When it is hot add the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for 1 minute. Stir in the milk, yeast and nutmeg and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly with a whisk over a moderate heat for 4–5 minutes, or until smooth and thickened. Adjust the seasoning to taste – you’ll need more black pepper than you might imagine.

Assembling the lasagna

  • In a 8×10 pan, add a quarter of the sauce. Add one layer of lasagna sheets without overlapping (I was able to fit 3). Add a quarter of the sauce and cover with a few tablespoons of white sauce. Add another layer of lasagna sheets, another quarter of the sauce, more white sauce. Finally add one last layer of pasta, the last quarter of the sauce and your white sauce and then any grated cheese if you want .
  • Bake for at least 20 minutes in the oven preheated at 350F(180C). Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before cutting.

If you have leftover veggies in the fridge, you can also make just a veggie lasagne. Follow either of the other recipes but just fry off whatever veggies you have left over and the rest of the instructions are the same!

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