Vegan Lasagna with Macadamia ‘Ricotta’
“I came up with this recipe because I usually avoid dairy foods and soy,” says nutrition blogger and vegetarian Lisa Grey. “I really miss cheese, particularly ricotta, so I experimented until I came up with macadamia ricotta.” When making this recipe for the holidays, Grey suggests topping the dish with…
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“I came up with this recipe because I usually avoid dairy foods and soy,” says nutrition blogger and vegetarian Lisa Grey. “I really miss cheese, particularly ricotta, so I experimented until I came up with macadamia ricotta.” When making this recipe for the holidays, Grey suggests topping the dish with spinach leaves and red bell peppers for a hit of festive color, then drizzling with 1 to 2 tablespoons walnut oil before baking to prevent the veggies from drying out.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
Macadamia ricotta
- 1 Tbs. whole flaxseeds
- 12 oz. unsalted macadamia nuts
- 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. dried garlic flakes
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Lasagna
- 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. whole-grain lasagna noodles
- 1 small onion, finely diced (1 cup)
- 1 12-oz. pkg. meatless ground
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
Preparation
1. To make Sauce: Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
2. To make Macadamia Ricotta: Grind flaxseeds in spice or coffee grinder until finely powdered. Pulse nuts in food processor until chopped. Add all remaining ingredients and ground flaxseeds to nuts in food processor, and blend 30 seconds. Pour 1/4 cup water through feed tube with food processor running, and blend until smooth, ricotta-like consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3. To assemble Lasagna: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Rub 13- x 9-inch baking dish with 1 Tbs. oil.
4. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat; add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat.
5. Spread layer of lasagna noodles in bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread thin layer of Macadamia Ricotta over noodles. Sprinkle with one-third portion each of Quorn ground, onion, and mushrooms. Cover with one-third of Sauce. Repeat layering until all Quorn, onion, and mushrooms have been used, then top with layer of noodles and Sauce. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until Lasagna is hot and bubbly.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 639
- Carbohydrate Content 59 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 39 g
- Fiber Content 16 g
- Protein Content 22 g
- Saturated Fat Content 6 g
- Sodium Content 415 mg
- Sugar Content 8 g