Vegan lasagna
Vegan lasagna is a comforting, delicious dish that proves you don't need animal products to enjoy an Italian classic. With layers of tender pasta, a protein-rich lentil bolognese, and a creamy bechamel, this recipe is perfect for a family dinner or a special occasion.
Ingredients
Method
- For the dough: First, we start by mixing all the dough ingredients until we get a smooth dough.
- Place on the table, cut into 4 and flatten with a rolling pin or a pasta machine.
- Prepare and grease the dish of your choice and shape the lasagna sheets to fit the dish.
- There's no need to pre-boil the pasta in water.
- For the bolognese: To start, put the lentils in the pot with 1.5 liters of water (better if soaked overnight).
- Now dice the onions and carrots, you can add the chopped chili (optional), then sauté them in the pan with olive oil in the bottom until they sweat while adding salt and pepper.
- Once the vegetables have sweated, add the tomato sauce to the pan and wait for the sauce to reduce, about 1:30h more or less, stirring regularly.
- Meanwhile, crush the garlic.
- For the bechamel: We start by adding the olive oil just to cover the bottom of the pan and adding a pinch of flour to see if it fries (personal trick).
- Once it fries, add the rest of the flour and mix without stopping to make a roux (thickener).
- Next, add the nutmeg, salt and pepper, and gradually add the plant-based milk while continuing to mix the mixture; once the milk is ready, keep mixing until the bechamel thickens
- Assembling the lasagna: Grease the bottom of the oven dish with olive oil.
- Then place a layer of pasta, a layer of the bolognese sauce and a layer of the bechamel sauce; repeat 4 times — it's important to finish with the bechamel sauce.
- Once assembled, bake in the preheated oven at 180°C for about 45 min — it's best to keep an eye on it until golden and bubbling on top.
Notes
Chef's tip
- Resting: Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before cutting it; this helps the layers set and keeps it from falling apart.
- Bechamel: Add a pinch of nutritional yeast to your bechamel for a deeper, cheesier flavor.
Nutritional values (per serving)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Protein: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g (of which sugars 6 g)
- Fat: 12 g (of which saturated fatty acids 2.5 g)
- Fiber: 9 g
- Salt: 1.1 g
Benefits of vegan lasagna
- High in fiber and plant protein: Thanks to the lentils, this dish provides long-lasting energy and supports digestive health.
- Low in saturated fat: By avoiding meat and dairy, it's a much lighter option for the heart.
Benefits according to Traditional Chinese Medicine
From a TCM perspective, this dish is excellent for tonifying the body's center:- Lentils (neutral nature): Tonify Spleen Qi and help eliminate dampness from the body.
- Wheat/Pasta (cooling nature): Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit (Shen).
- Nutmeg (warm nature): Warms the Stomach and aids the digestion of starches.