Bethany's Vegan Kitchen

This is my classic lasagne recipe, with a dairy free white sauce, and a meat free tomato and “meat” sauce. I’ll break this post down into sections, so if you want to use a mixture of homemade and shop bought sauce, you can skip to the relevant parts. It’ll be a long one, here we go!

Firstly, the white sauce;

You’ll need; 

1. 45g(1.5oz) plain all purpose flour
2. 45g(1.5oz) dairy free margarine
3. 450ml unsweetened warm non-dairy milk
4. Salt and pepper to taste

Method;

• In a small saucepan over a medium heat, add the non-dairy margarine. Once it has melted, add the flour and mix with a whisk until well combined. Cook for four minutes, whisking constantly.
• Add the warm non-dairy milk, a little at a time, and whisk to incorporate. Once you’ve added all the milk, and the sauce thickens, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Next, the tomato and “meat” sauce;

You’ll need;

1. Four cloves of garlic, minced
2. One brown onion, minced
3. Two peppers (a.k.a. bell pepper/capsicum), chopped
4. 250g(9oz) white mushrooms, chopped
5. Two tablespoons of each; dried oregano, dried basil, dried tarragon
6. One tablespoon of tomato puree
7. 75g(2.5oz) textured vegetable protein (a.k.a. soy mince/vegetable protein)
8. 225ml hot water
9. One tablespoon soy sauce
10. One tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
11. One 400g(14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes

Method;

• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute before adding the onion.
• Cook the onion for five minutes before adding the pepper. After another few minutes add the mushrooms, herbs and tomato puree. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for five minutes.
• In a shallow dish add the TVP, hot water, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Leave the TVP to rehydrate for a couple of minutes, then add it to the vegetable mixture.
• Put the chopped tomatoes into a jug, fill a third of the empty can with water and give it a swish. Add the water and remaining tomato to the jug. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Add the blended tomato to the vegetables. Mix well the ensure everything is combined. Cover with a lid, increase the heat to a simmer, and cook for a further ten minutes. Once cooked, set aside.

Finally, assembling the lasagne;

Yield; Six to eight servings Cook time; 35 minutes

You’ll need;

1. White sauce as above (or use 450g shop bought sauce)
2. Tomato and “meat” sauce (or use 500g shop bought sauce, and add TVP and veggies)
3. 250g dried lasagne sheets
4. 75g non-dairy cheese

Method;

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan assisted/350ºF. In a large ovenproof dish, start by adding a thin layer of tomato and “meat” sauce to the bottom of the dish.
• Layer the lasagne sheets, white sauce and tomato and “meat” sauce until it’s all used.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• After thirty minute, remove from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Sprinkle over the cheese and return to the oven.
• Bake for a further five minutes. Leave to stand for five minutes before serving. This will ensure the lasagne holds its shape better.

Are you still here? You are? Awesome, glad to have you.

I will point out, that it might seem like a lot of work, and that’s because it is. But it’s worth it, and the leftovers freeze very well. So you’ll be glad you put in the effort, especially when you have delicious vegan frozen ready meals to eat.