Hey Chickies!
Remember back in 2013 when I posted that glorious recipe for raw & vegan lasagna? Yeah, you guys went nuts over that because it was (and still is) so good.
Well here’s the thing. Not everyone is ready to dive into super extreme uncooked food-land, and for that reason I love to create, test, and share healthy plant-based (vegan) recipes to inspire creative foodies to try out new options other than standard American fare.
The thing is, I would so much rather you eat this healthy, plant-based, and gluten-free lasagna than a store-bought version with GMO ingredients, RBH-treated cow cheese, and low-quality noodles and vegetables.
There’s no comparison, really.
INSTEAD, you can take your health into your own hands and make a glorious lasagna with tons of supreme veggies that will help you glow from the inside out.
And that’s exactly what you get when you make the following recipe!
This Spinach Lasagna (with gluten-free noodles) is sooooo good. To be honest, though, I mainly am so impressed by it because for the first time I used tofu (you can use sprouted, which I deem to be better health-wise) to make a ricotta cheese. And dang if it didn’t turn out exactly like the cheese I used to taste in my mom’s homemade lasagna.
So because this treat is super awesome… voila! I hope you enjoy!
And if you want to keep it lighter, be sure to check out my raw and vegan lasagna recipe here! 🙂
Psssst – You will need to plan ahead, as this baby does take some time to cook… But it’s so worth it!
Spinach Lasagna (Vegan, Cooked)
Yields: 6 Servings
Prep: 20 MInutes
Cook Time: 60-80 Minutes
Ingredients:
4-6 Garlic Cloves
1 Onion, Diced
8 Button Mushrooms, Sliced
1/4 Cup low-sodium Vegetable Broth (for sautéing)
10 oz Fresh Spinach
6 1/4 Cups Marinara Sauce
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
12 Lasagna Noodles (uncooked – brown rice or whole wheat*)
1 Recipe Vegan Ricotta Cheese (Below)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic, onion, and mushrooms in the vegetable stock until tender. Add the spinach and cook just until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- In a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish, assemble your lasagna in this order: 1/2 cup marinara, 4 noodles, half of the ‘ricotta’, half of the spinach-mushroom mixture, 1 3/4 cup marinara, 4 noodles, remaining ricotta, remaining spinach-mushroom mixture, 1 3/4 cup marinara, 4 noodles, and remaining marinara. (*Note: Lasagna noodles are layered uncooked)
- Bake for 60-80 minutes. Brown rice pasta will cook faster than whole wheat pasta.
- Let stand for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Vegan Ricotta Cheez
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves
One 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Place all the ingredients into a food processor. Blend continuously until smooth and creamy. Store in the refrigerator.
And that is seriously it! I was so surprised when this came out of the oven and (yes, I had to taste-test it!) mimicked the lasagna I grew up with as a child. I also feel confident in stating that any happy carnivore will love this and not even blink twice as they devour its hearty contents.
Let me know what you guys think of this awesome recipe, and/or if you have your own favorite you’d like to share. 🙂
Much love ~ You DO Deserve to Live A Life You Love.
Amanda Froelich
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