Lasagna with tofu ricotta is a delicious twist on an Italian staple

SEATTLE —

Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

By Amy Webster

Servings: 6-8

Prep time: 15 minutes  |  Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) box lasagna noodles
• 1 (14-ounce) block of tofu, extra firm, pressed and drained
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped (Frozen spinach will work great too, just be sure to drain as much water as possible first)
• 1 (13.7 ounce) package of Gardein Ground Be’f or 16-ounce package Beyond Ground
• 2 (25-ounce) jars marinara sauce
• 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese shreds, like Violife, Follow Your Heart, or Daiya brands
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Cook lasagna noodles as directed by the package directions, however, only cook noodles to al dente (about 3-5 minutes less than instructed). Drain and preheat the oven to 350℉.
2. Make the tofu ricotta by adding tofu, tahini, nutritional yeast, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until well incorporated. Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in spinach. Mix well and set aside.
3. Cook crumble in a medium to large skillet over low-medium heat, or following package instructions. Once cooked, add in all but 1 cup of marinara sauce. Stir crumble into sauce and remove from heat. Set the remaining 1 cup of sauce aside for next step.
4. To assemble the lasagna, start by spreading the remaining 1 cup of just marinara sauce to the bottom of a large casserole dish (9x13 inch). Spread evenly, then add one layer of cooked lasagna noodles (about 3-4 noodles). Top with half of the tofu ricotta and spread it around as evenly as possible. Next, add half the marinara and crumble mixture and spread evenly. Then, add another layer of lasagna noodles followed by the remaining tofu ricotta, spread out evenly. If desired, add another layer of lasagna noodles or just top with the remaining marinara and crumble mixture.
5. Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 40 minutes then remove foil and top with vegan mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, if using. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes then remove from oven. Let lasagna cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.