Makeover Meatless Lasagna Recipes

EASY MEATLESS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the parsley and oregano.
• Spread 2 cups of the pasta sauce in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches; top with 4 uncooked noodles. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Spread with 2 cups pasta sauce and top with 4 noodles; repeat with 2 cups pasta sauce and 4 noodles. Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spread with remaining pasta sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 30 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: LASAGNE

Steps:

• Make the meat sauce: heat oil in a large sauté pan, then tip in onion and fry for 5 mins until golden. Add carrots and garlic, then fry for 2 mins more. Stir in both meats, breaking up the pork with a wooden spoon. Cook over a high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the juices are released. Pour in wine, scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, then cook for 1-2 mins until the liquid is reduced. Tip in tomato purée, tomatoes and 2 tbsp water, then stir to break up tomatoes. Add ½ tsp nutmeg and some pepper, cover, then simmer for 1 hr, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt if you like. Mix in torn basil. Sauce can be chilled for up to 1 day.
• While the sauce is simmering, prepare the other layers. Tip the spinach into a large bowl and pour over boiling water. After 30 secs, tip spinach into a colander and put under cold running water briefly to cool. Squeeze to remove excess water. Beat the egg in a bowl, then mix with ricotta, parsley, a pinch of nutmeg and pepper. Soak the lasagne sheets in a single layer in boiling water for 5 mins. (Although the packet says no pre-cook, I find soaking improves the texture.) Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• Start layering. Spread a few big spoonfuls of sauce to barely cover the base of an ovenproof dish (20 x 29 x 6cm deep). Cover with 2 sheets of lasagne, then spread over half the remaining sauce. Cover with 2 more lasagne sheets, then scatter spinach evenly over. Spread the ricotta mixture on top and cover with 2 more lasagne sheets. Spread with remaining sauce, then scatter over mozzarella and Parmesan to almost cover meat. Top with cherry tomatoes and some pepper, then cover loosely with foil.
• Bake for 35 mins, then remove foil and bake 5-10 mins more. Leave for a few mins, then scatter with basil and serve with salad.

MAKEOVER TRADITIONAL LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain., In a small bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan and parsley. Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with 3 noodles, half of the cheese mixture, 1-1/3 cups sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until bubbly. Top with provolone and remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with additional parsley.,

MAKEOVER MEATLESS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook noodles according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook mushrooms and onion over medium heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; cook and stir until heated through., Pulse tofu in a food processor until smooth. Add next 5 ingredients; pulse until combined. Drain noodles., Place 5 noodles into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, overlapping as needed. Layer with half the tofu mixture, half the sauce and half the mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles, tofu mixture and sauce., Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE MAKEOVER-VEGAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• For the Tofu Ricotta (see also my recipe #279343):.
• In a large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands, till it's crumbly.
• Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil.
• Mush with hands again, this time you want it to get very mushy so squeeze through your fingers and mush until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese. May take 2-5 minutes.
• Add olive oil, stir with fork (olive oil is sticky).
• Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the "meat" layer:.
• In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the chopped onions in the olive oil until slightly tender.
• Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
• Add the dried Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper, if using, and stir to coat onions/garlic evenly.
• Next add the dried textured vegetable protein (TVP). It will begin to absorb ALL the liquid in the pan.
• Add a splash or two of the vegetable stock and stir to coat all the TVP with the garlic/onions.
• Next add the tamari, which will give the TVP it's darker color.
• Stir to coat, add the nutritional yeast then slowly add the vegetable broth, and slowly stir as the liquid absorbs.
• Lower the heat and let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the chopped spinach and stir to incorporate evenly.
• Keep mixture on low until ready to assemble.
• Layer you lasagna as you wish.
• If using the "no bake" noodles, be sure to use plenty of sauce on each layer to soak into the dry sheets.
• 1-2 cups sauce on the bottom of pan, layer of dry noodles, layer of 1/2 "meat" spinach mixture, layer of sauce.
• Then layer of noodles, layer of vegan ricotta, layer of sauce.
• Layer of noodles, layer of second 1/2 of "meat" spinach mixture, layer of sauce, then top with noodles and sauce.
• Cover with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour.
• Remove and let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
• Can be topped with vegan "parmesan cheese".

EASY MEATLESS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the parsley and oregano.
• Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches; top with 4 noodles.
• Spread cheese mixture over noodles.
• Spread with 2 cups spaghetti sauce and top with four noodles; repeat with 2 cups spaghetti sauce and 4 noodles.
• Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
• Spread with remaining spaghetti sauce.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Heat oven to 350, cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover and bake about 30 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

MEATLESS MEXICAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Add squash and onion and cook over medium heat until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add refried beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Using 1/4 of the ingredients at a time, make 4 layers in the prepared baking dish as follows: tortilla, refried bean mixture, black beans, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Cheddar cheese, and salsa. Repeat layers 3 more times.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.