lunchpail

Vegetarian lasagna

Based on Love and Lemons

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 1 large leek, white and light green parts, chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces [don’t have]
• 2 carrots, slice into thin half moons
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and halved [don’t have]
• 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick half moons
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved [double this]

“Ricotta” Filling

• 23 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil [sub in avocado oil]
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup loose-packed fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• [omit] red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the lasagna

• 12 no-bake lasagna noodles
• 40 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 packed cup chopped kale [sub in super greens]
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• sliced basil, for garnish

Instructions

Roast the vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with silicone baking mat.
2. Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of water twice. Cut the bottoms and tops off the leeks, then cut them lengthwise before washing and fanning out the layers to rinse off the dirt. Rinse the fennel, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes.
3. Cut vegetables as listed above. Place the vegetables on the baking mat and toss with a drizzle of avocado oil and pinches of salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and very soft. Remove the vegetables from the oven and reduce the oven heat to 350°F.

Make the “ricotta”

1. Break the tofu apart and place it in a food processor along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and process until creamy.
2. Add the basil and pulse until incorporated.

Assemble the lasagna

1. Drizzle the bottom of a 9x13 pan with non-extra virgin olive oil. Spread a generous layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and layer with 4 lasagna noodles.
2. Spread with half of the ricotta mixture, half of the roasted vegetables, half of the chopped kale, and another layer of sauce.
3. Add the next layer of 4 noodles and top with the remaining ricotta, the remaining roasted vegetables, remaining kale, and another layer of sauce.
4. Top with the last layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and the shredded cheese. Drizzle with olive oil (non-extra virgin).
5. Place in oven with 1–2 sheet pans beneath lasagna dishes to catch cheese and sauce that will likely bubble over.
6. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, then rotate and bake at 375 for 10 until cheese is just starting to yellow.
7. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with sliced basil.