Recipe: Vegan Fall Lasagna

Prep Time: 60 minutes - Cook Time: 80 minutes - Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes - Yield: 12-15 servings

Ingredients RICOTTA

2 batches of my Vegan Cashew Ricotta (without the basil) 4 oz. spinach

ONIONS

1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 and 1/2 sweet onions, sliced thin salt + pepper

SAUCE

1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 2 15-oz. cans pumpkin puree 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes pinch freshly ground nutmeg salt + pepper 1 cup green lentils, cooked

MUSHROOMS

2 Tbsp. olive oil 24 oz. baby bellas, sliced 8 sprigs fresh thyme 3 cloves garlic, minced salt + pepper

PEPPERS

1 jar DeLallo Roasted Red Peppers with Garlic

NOODLES

1 box DeLallo No-Boil Organic Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles

TOPPING

2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 container (.75oz) sage, leaves removed 3/4 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds salt

Instructions

• RICOTTA: Make your vegan ricotta first, once it’s made, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water standing by. Add your spinach and boil for 20 seconds, then remove the spinach with a slotted spoon and place it straight into your ice water. • Once the blanched spinach is cool, remove it from the ice water and squeeze out any excess moisture. Add it to your vegan ricotta and set aside.

• ONIONS: Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Once hot, add your onions. Cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. You may need to add some water during the cook-time to make sure the onions aren’t burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once caramelized, season with salt and pepper and set aside. • SAUCE: Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add your onion and garlic, and saute for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add your broth, pumpkin puree, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg, and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. • Once boiling, carefully transfer your mixture to a blender and blend until smooth (cover the lid of your blender with a towel to protect your hand; alternatively, you can use an immersion blender). Season generously with salt and pepper, add your cooked lentils, and mix to combine. Set aside. • MUSHROOMS: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add your sliced mushrooms and thyme sprigs (you’ll remove them later) and cook until all of the water is evaporated, and the mushrooms start to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add your garlic when the mushrooms are almost done and mix to combine. When all of the water has evaporated, then you can season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and set aside. • PEPPERS: Remove the peppers from the jar and squeeze out all excess water/liquid. Chop the peppers and set aside. • ASSEMBLE & BAKE: Now you’re ready to assemble! Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grab a 13×9inch baking pan and spread 2 cups of your sauce on the bottom. Now add a few dry noodles, breaking the noodles to make them fit if necessary. Add half of your onions, mushrooms, and peppers across the top. Dollop a third of your ricotta mixture on top of that. • Then add another 2 cups of sauce evenly across the top. Layer on more noodles. Add the rest of your onions, mushrooms, and pepper, and then dollop on another third of your ricotta. • Finally, top the mixture with the rest of your sauce, and then dollops of the ricotta. You won’t use all the lasagna noodles–that’s okay! • Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. I covered mine for half the time with aluminum foil to make sure the top didn’t get too crispy. • TOPPING: While the lasagna is baking, make the topping. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add your sage leaves, and fry until dark green and crispy. About 30 seconds before you’re ready to remove your sage leaves, add your pumpkin seeds, and mix to combine. • Remove the mixture from the skillet and allow to cool slightly. Chop fine and season with salt. Set aside. • When the lasagna is done, sprinkle the topping evenly across the top. Cut and serve!

Notes

You can make the ricotta, onions, sauce (without the lentils), and mushrooms ahead of time. Just stick them in separate air-tight containers and store them in the fridge. No need to heat them before assembling the lasagna. More recipes at: www.fooduzzi.com/2019/11/vegan-fall-lasagna/#tasty-recipes-12071-jump-target