Vegan Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 small zucchini
• 2 garlic cloves
• 400g canned chopped tomatoes
• 150g spinach
• 10 lasagne sheets
• 35g vegan butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 500ml soy milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
• pinch of nutmeg
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• vegan cheese for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Finely chop the onion, carrot and zucchini, add to the pan and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes and a little vegetable stock if needed. Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs, then simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
4. Meanwhile, blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Drain well, squeeze out excess moisture and set aside.
5. To make the sauce, melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually pour in the soy milk, whisking until smooth. Cook for several minutes until thickened, then season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
6. If using dried lasagne sheets that require pre-cooking, cook them according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
7. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets, followed by the lentil mixture, spinach and more sauce. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with sauce on top.
8. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden on top.
9. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

instructions_source: editorial-classic