No one in the family can understand why you’d ever forgo rich and creamy ricotta cheese, juicy ground beef or melty mozzarella, but I’ve developed a vegan alternative that rivals the original. So much so, that I’ve had this vegan version requested in lieu of traditional lasagna, that is, by those few who even were made aware that I had hugged a few trees during it’s making.
This is a labor intensive recipe as is any respectable lasagna effort. If the steps are too many to overcome, then use the short-cut suggestion for a simpler yet great baked ziti.
| Short-cut Suggestion 1 – Ricotta Mixture replacement for any dish: |
| Use the ricotta steps and add mixture to cooked ziti and pre-made sauce for a nice (and easier to assemble) baked macaroni |
| Short-cut Suggestion 2 – Don’t Tell Mama: |
| Use a sugar-free, organic jar sauce made with olive oil. |
Ingredients (Organic):
- 60 oz. (Hunts or Del Monte) unseasoned Tomato Sauce
- 2 Large Onions
- Olive Oil
- 1 package SMART BEAT Soy Beef/Crumblies (original flavor)
- Garlic Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Onion Powder
- 1 – 2 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Parsley
- Red Wine (a good one you would drink)
- Sea Salt
- Ground Pepper
- 1 Package Ronzoni Ready to Bake Oven Lasagna strips
- 1 Package Extra Firm Tofu
- ¾ – 1 Cup Soy Mozzarella Cheese Finely Shredded (I hand shred about 1/3 of a block)
- Nutmeg (optional)
Sauce:
Prep Sauce first. Sautee 2 finely chopped onions in olive olive in sauce pot. After they turn translucent, add Smart Beat soy chopped meat – crumble if needed – and mix with sautéed onions. Add more olive oil if too dry. Add fresh chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt and stir. Sautee until soy meat just starts to brown. Add canned tomatoe sauce and stir mixture. Now add garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes to taste. Bring to bubble and add about ½ – 2/3 cup wine (to taste). Stir and lower flame to simmer for ½ hour stirring occasionally.
Short Cut Hint: If you substitute jar-sauce, just follow saute steps for onion and soy meat using only 1 onion, then add prepared jar sauce.
Ricotta Mixture:
- 450g/1lb Firm Tofu
- 1/2 Teasp Grated Nutmeg (optional – I rarely add it but it appears in other recipes for creating this mixture)
- 1/2 Teasp Sea Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 90ml/3fl.oz. Olive Oil
Place the tofu in large mixing bowl together with the remaining ingredients and mash until smooth.
Assemble Lasagna:
Just follow instructions on the back of the Ronzoni Lasagna box and layer. Use 80 – 90% of the sauce (sometimes I use all of it). Start with a thick layer of sauce on bottom of pan. Spoon a thin layer on tofu ricotta mixture on each strip and spread evenly (about 1 ¾ tbsp). Cover completely with sauce and then sprinkle lightly with soy mozzarella. Bake as instructed on the box – I think it’s: 30 minutes at 375F covered tightly with foil. Then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
