Pasta nights are always popular in my house and lasagna is always a favorite. The beauty of lasagna and plant-based cooking is you can make it absolutely delicious without animal products. I use nut ricottas with fresh herbs, brown rice pasta noodels, roasted vegetables, and a hearty sauce to create layers of flavor. Zucchini and eggplant with spinach make great combinations, but feel free to add vegetables of your choice, I’ve made versions wih mushroom, bell pepper, and onions that were equally delish.
Vegan Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 eggplant, sliced lengthwise on mandolin
2 large zucchini squash, sliced lengthwise on mandolin
2 T. olive oil
12 gluten-free lasagna noodles
1 jar marinara sauce (I like Rao’s)
2 containers Kite Hill Ricotta
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 T. finely chopped Italian herbs (oregano, basil, marjoram) *can use dried
4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup Myokos “Mozzarella”, crumbled (nut cheese) or your favorite cheese, finely shredded
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Use a mandolin to cut lengthwise slices of zucchini and eggplant. Brush your cut slices with olive oil and lay on parchment lined baking sheet in one layer (I use one sheet pan for the zucchini and one for the eggplant), season with sea salt and Italian herbs, then place in oven and roast for approx. 12-15 minutes.
Cook brown rice lasagna noodles according to directions. Drain and set aside individually so noodles don’t stick together.
Ricotta Mixture: I use one container of Kite Hill Ricotta (made from almond) and fold in fresh chopped Italian herbs, sea salt, garlic, and basil.
Using a large rectangular baking dish (9 x 12) place about 1/3 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish spreading to mixture coat, add a layer of pasta, top with a smooth layer of almond ricotta cheese and 1/3 of the Myokos mozzarella crumbles, then add a layer of spinach, layer of zucchini, and layer of eggplant. Add another layer of pasta, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, then the rest of the ricotta, then spinach, zucchini, eggplant. Add one more layer of pasta and top with the remaining sauce and the rest of the Myokos mozzarella cheese.
Place on the center rack and bake for 30 minutes. Let rest covered for 5 minutes.
