I know, I know, it’s not very ‘new’ to suggest lasagne for vegetarians, but I’ve tweaked this dish so vegans can eat it too. This dish should serve 4-6 people.

Ingredients:

Red Sauce ~

2 tins of tomatoes OR 1 tin of tomatoes & 1 tin of tomato puree + water
1 pack of quorn mince OR 1 tin of green lentils, drained
1 onion – chopped
1-2 sweet peppers chopped
1-2 courgettes, chopped
2 tins of carrots, drained
Spinach, 3 chunks of frozen or 2 handfuls of fresh
1 segment of garlic, chopped or crushed

Other vegetables that also work well: sweet corn, peas, pre-cooked sweet potato, mushrooms
1 pint of vegetable stock dissolved in boiled water

Season with salt, pepper, pinch of chilli powder, basil, cumin, Worcester sauce or soy sauce for vegans

White Sauce~

¾ or 1 pint of ‘milk’ – oat, soya or coconut milk for vegans, add 1-2 tbs of nutritional yeast
50 g of margarine or butter
White flour to thicken
Salt, pepper, mustard powder to flavour

Several sheets of 100% durum wheat lasagne

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets – for topping

Cheese (grated or use a plane to make thin slices) for vegetarian version

TIP: Soya soaks up liquid, so cook your red sauce without reducing it too much

Method:

Red Sauce ~

Soften the onions by frying in some of the stock

Add in the vegetables (except broccoli) and the quorn or lentils
Add tomatoes & season to taste, frying till the mix becomes cohesive

White Sauce~

Melt the margarine over a low heat
Remove from heat to add flour until its soaked up to become a paste
Return to heat & add the milk gradually, stirring or whisking the whole time to remove lumps
Once all milk is blended, turn up the heat to bring the sauce mix to the boil
Simmer 1-2 minutes
At this point add nutritional yeast or any other flavourings

Line an ovenproof dish with pasta sheets (snap them to make them fit)

Cover with a layer of red sauce
Add another layer of pasta sheets

Cover with a layer of red sauce

Add another layer of pasta sheets

Arrange the broccoli florets on top of the pasta then pour over a final layer of white sauce – ensuring all pasta is covered, particularly the edges

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees (180 for fan ovens)

TIP: If you are adding cheese, do this once you remove lasagne from the oven, you won’t need as much to get the same flavour

Humbly submitted for #FoodMatters meme, check the link for more tasty, healthy recipes