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"You're going to fall in love with this one!"
This thing is beautiful; and delicious.
For it to be a plant-based dish, it can hold it's own against its meat competitors.
You make this once, and it's going to be your go-to recipe!
So roll up your sleeves and let me walk you through a recipe that you will never forget.
Disclaimer; This recipe is not 100% plant-based due to pre made lasagna noodles maybe made with animal byproduct.
In culinary school, we used to say "Mise en place", which means "Everything in it's place" in French. So let's do just that; Gather all your ingredients and put them in it's place.
Ingredients;
Lasagna noodles - 1-2 pack
Pasta Sauce - 2 regular sized jars
Vegan Shredded Cheese - 2 packs (I like Go Veggie Brand, but Diya is cool too.)
Vegan Beef Crumbles - 2 packs (Boca is my favorite brand)
Italian Style Diced Tomatoes - 2 regular cans
Yellow onion - 1 large or 2 medium size
Green Bell Pepper - 2
Minced Garlic - about a tablespoon
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Italian Seasoning
Salt - (Sea Salt is perferred but use what you have)
Pepper
Oil (just enough to cook the vegan meat crumbles a little)
For the Ricotta Cheese;
Firm Tofu - 1 pack
Almond Milk
Almond Slices - 1 1/2 cup roughly
Minced Garlic
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Now, I don’t really use measurements, especially when it comes to seasonings. I just allow the spirit to guide me.🤷🏽♀️
Though, I do taste as I go (always keep a small spoon for tasting) and adjust accordingly. 😉
That's what you call finesse; to be able to adjust and add a little this and a little that to create a masterpiece. 😎
Mise en place, right?
👀
Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees
Now, dice up your green bell peppers and onions. Diced them up to the size you like.
Add medium-high heat to a pot with some oil in it. Use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
Once the oil is hot, drop about a tablespoon of minced garlic and let that baby heat up a little.
Add your diced up onions and peppers.
Mix it up and allow it to cook until soft or until onions are translucent, kind of.
Now it's time for the Meatless Beef Crumbles.
Mix that up with some garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder and Italian seasonings.
👈🏽 That is roughly the amount I use for each seasoning. (maybe a little more when it comes to everything but salt 😉)
Cook this for about 5-7 mins.
It's time to add those canned tomatoes.
🥫🍅
Stir in the pasta sauce and turn the heat to a low setting.
It's taste time. time
Does it taste good to you? 🤔
Maybe you need to add some more salt or garlic power?
Adjust, but once it's good, keep it on low. It's time to move on to another task.
Boil some water and cook your lasagna noodles according to the package it came in.
After you have made your noodles or if you can multi-task, let's make the ricotta cheese.
In a blender, add, the whole block of tofu, about a tablespoon of minced garlic, a little more than a cup of milk and about a cup and a half of sliced almonds.
Don't forget the seasonings, add a little of; garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
Blend it all up until ALMOST smooth.
Tasting time.
It will have a slight "lumpiness" to it and thats good. If you have had ricotta before then you know what I am talking about.
Is it good to you? 🤔
I added some Italian Seasonings in mine, just cause I am all about flavor 😋
Once good to your liking, set aside.
Assemble time!
I like to start with a small amount of that good ole 'meat' sauce then the noodles, sprinkled with a little shredded cheese
👈🏽
Finish layering by adding a nice amount of meat sauce topped with some ricotta cheese.
👈🏽
Keep layering, alternating the noodles, meat and cheese.
👈🏽
Make sure the last layer is shredded cheese.
You may want to add a little more than what I did but to each it's own.
Bake that baby for about 25 mins. - give or take.
Don't it look so good 😋🤤😍
Serve it with a Salad🥗 or some Garlic Bread🧄🥖.
Enjoy!
Check out the "bread" recipe for a great compliment to this dish!!!!