This right here is the ultimate vegan lasagna – with all of the homemade components. Honestly, I barely could hold this dish for the picture because it was so full of all the best sauces.
the bechamel vs ricotta debate
Growing up, when my mom made lasagna she would use a ricotta and egg mixture as the cream-based layer of the dish. When I moved to the UK, I found that my friends’ used bechamel as a replacement for this layer. Upon further investigation, it turns out the European/Italian way of making lasagna calls for bechamel whereas the American- Italian calls for ricotta. To please both sides I decided to include a vegan version of both in this recipe.
the other components
Although lasagna seems like a simple recipe layered with classics, work is required to getall of the components ready to be assembled. This recipe calls for four main ingredients:
1. Vegan bolognese sauce which is rich and hearty in flavour made of lentils, walnuts and mushrooms.
2.Basil almond ricotta
3. Vegan bechamel
4. lasagna noodles
5. vegan shredded cheese for topping if desired
ultimate half/half lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 litres homemade lentil walnut & mushroom bolognese (https://plantbasedpetite.com/vegan-bolognese/)
- 473 ml homemade vegan béchamel sauce
- 500 grams vegan almond ricotta
- 10-12 no boil lasagna noodles from package
- 500 grams zucchini a.k.a. courgettes, thinly sliced
- 100 grams vegan mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Make the three sauces as per instruction.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- To assemble, add a quarter of the bolognese to the bottom of the baking dish and layer the noodles in a single layer on one half of the dish and the zucchini noodles on the other half.
- Spread a third of ricotta on both halves of the lasagne.
- Spread a third of the béchamel on top of the ricotta mixture on the noodle side.
- Spread another fourth of the Bolognese on top of both sides of the lasagne.
- Add another layer of noodles and zoodles and repeat the process (one third ricotta on whole lasagne, one third béchamel on the noodle side, and one fourth of Bolognese)
- Layer another layer of noodles and zoodles, the remaining Bolognese and the remainder ricotta on the zucchini and béchamel on the top of the noodle half.
- Cover the lasagne in aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and sprinkle with 100 grams of mozzarella cheese and put it in the oven for another 10 minutes until cheese has melted and lasagne is bubbly.
