When I originally went gluten and dairy free years ago, lasanga was a food I thought I wouldn't be able to enjoy anymore. I always thought of it as a comfort food baked with tons of cheese and noodles. I thought, If I were able to make a good lasanga recipe, it would end up being really complicated with tons of different ingredients. However, after many requests, I developed an easy lasanga recipe that is both gluten and dairy free. The ingredients are simple, and every bite is delicious! The recipe also makes tons of leftovers, and it is greatt heated up in the microwave for multiple days after!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 24 oz jars tomato sauce of your choice
8 oz bag DF mozzarella (I used Follow Your Heart Vegan Mozzarella)
10 oz box GF lasanga pasta (I used Tinkayda Brown Rice Pasta Lasanga)
"Ricotta", "Parmesan" and spinach mixture:
1 cup silver blanched almonds
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1/2 cup water
4 cups loosely backed spinach, chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 7-inch by 11-inch oven proof pan with GF non-stick cooking spray. You can also used a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, you may just have to position the lasanga noodles differently.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, and crumble it into small pieces. Once it is about half way browned, add in salt & pepper, minced garlic, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir everything together and continue cooking until the meat is browned. Drain the excess fat.
Turn the pan to low heat and add in the 2 jars of tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
Next, add the almonds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt into a food processor. Process until everything is combined and the almonds have broken down. Keep the food processor on and slowly add in the water, processing until smooth.
Add the spinach into the food processor and pulse until the spinach is in small pieces and combined with the rest of the ingredients.
For assembling, start by spreading a thin layer of the meat and tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of the pan. Then place an even layer of lasanga noodles on top; usually 3 to 4 will fit. Then add another thin layer of the meat and tomato sauce mixture on top (the noodles with absorb the sauce and cook nicely while in the oven).
Next, spread some of the ricotta and parmesan mixture evenly on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the DF mozzarella on top of that in an even layer. On top of the mozzarella, add another layer of lasanga noodles.
On top of those lasanga noodles add another layer of tomato and meat sauce, followed by a layer of the ricotta and parmesan mixture, and a layer of mozzarella. Complete this layering one more time for a total of three layers. If you have contents leftover, feel free to add another layer. Cover the the pan with tinfoil and place in the 425 degree oven for 40 minutes. Uncover the pan and allow to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve hot and simply heat up the leftovers in the microwave. Enjoy!
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