Traditional Lasagna

I have two other lasagna recipes. One is for a basic American-style lasagna with vegan ricotta and impossible meat. Another is a white bean veggie lasagna for those who don't want any mock meats, but want a high protein alternative. This lasagna is a more traditional take that uses a vegan bechamel sauce with parmesan for the cheese layer, and a rustic sauce. 

 

Traditional veganized lasagna with a rustic ragout sauce and bechamel

 

 

1 box lasagna noodles 

1 package Impossible ground beef

2 cups cashew milk 

3 tbsp tomato paste 

6 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery

2 carrots 

1 yellow onion 

1 cup red wine (I used vegan YellowTail Cabernet)

1/2 can diced tomatoes 

1 tbsp finely chopped basil 

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 wheel Miyoko's mozzarella cheese 

1 tbsp flour 

2 tbsp butter (I used Miyoko's) 

1 wedge of Violife parmesan cheese

 

1. Begin by finely dicing up your celery, carrots, and onions. Make sure that they are diced up in small chunks. Be sure to finely mince or crush 6 cloves of garlic. 

2. In a pot, add extra virgin olive oil. Then open your package of vegan ground beef and add it to the pot, breaking it up into small chunks. 

3. To the meat, add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Saute the veggies until the onions become translucent, and the meat has browned.

4. Then add your tomato paste. Let it cook with the veggies for a small bit until the raw tomato smell goes away. Then add your diced tomatoes, chopped basil, dried oregano, and red wine. Put the sauce in a low simmer cover.

5. As the sauce simmers, shred one wedge of violife parmesan cheese finely using a shredder. In a separate pot, add butter. Once it has melted, add your flour. Whisk until the raw flour smell has dissipated. Then slowly add in your cashew milk, continuously whisking to ensure that there is no clumping.

6. The cashew milk will eventually thicken into a rich bechamel. Here, season with salt and pepper. Then shred in the wedge of parmesan cheese continuously whisking and allowing the cheese to melt fully. 

7. Set the sauce aside in a burner using low heat and bring another pot to boil. If your noodles are not oven-ready, boil the lasagna noodles for about 5 minutes, or until half cooked. Then drain and rinse them with cold water. 

8. It is now time to assemble. Add a small amount of the meat sauce and cheese sauce to the bottom of the casserole. Then add the first layer of noodles.

9. Once again, add the meat sauce first and top with the bechamel sauce. Top the bechamel sauce with thinly sliced pieces of vegan mozzarella. Then layer that with another layer of noodles. Repeat these steps until you have reached the top of the casserole dish. 

10. Once you are at the top, cover the casserole with the rest of the bechamel and pieces of mozzarella. Cover and place in an over at 400℉ for 30 minutes. Then uncover and place back for another 15 minutes. 

11. Once you have removed from the oven, let it sit for about 20 minutes to cool and make it easier to cut. Then slice and serve. Enjoy!