vegan + gluten-free skillet lasagna

One pan dishes are my FAVORITE…especially the kind you can prep ahead of time and then just pop in the oven whenever you’re ready to eat. This vegan and gluten-free lasagna is healthy and satisfying, layered with a lentil-mushroom sauce (with miso!), herbed tofu ricotta and dolloped with walnut pesto. The longer you let the flavors sit and marinate here, the better. So don’t hesitate to make this ahead of time and cook it the following day. Leftovers? even better.

If it’s too hot to turn on your oven (talking to my LA peeps here), you can cook the lasagna on the stove top instead (see notes section below). I tried to reduce the steps and dish usage as much as possible. Don’t bother rinsing your food processor in between making the pesto and herbed ricotta—you’ll end up adding a portion of the pesto anyhow. This recipe was loosely adapted from The First Mess’ Vegan Skillet Lasagna. In her recipe, Laura makes her own almond ricotta #goals.

If you don’t have an issue with dairy, you can use standard, full-fat ricotta and just stir in the pesto, sans food processor. If neither tofu nor dairy sits well with you, just sub Kite Hill Almond Ricotta (treat it as normal ricotta and don’t mix it in the food processor). Use any parmesan you like…when I had second day leftovers, I grated fresh parmesan on top. If you do use vegan parmesan, my favorite is this brazil nut parm. Or, if you want a quicker version, just mix together 1 cup hemp seeds, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and a teaspoon of sea salt.

Please do tell (in the comment section below) if you made any substitutions you’d like to share, or your overall experience with the recipe.

Bon appetit!

xo Mary

//Notes//

• Use a non-reactive bowl for tomato sauce, i.e. glass

• If you don’t have an issue with dairy, you can use standard, full-fat ricotta and just stir in the pesto, sans food processor. If neither tofu nor dairy sits well with you, just sub Kite Hill Almond Ricotta (treat is as normal ricotta and don’t mix it in the food processor).

• Alternatively, you can cook the lasagna on the stove top. Just bring the sauce to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes.

• Use any parmesan you like—brazil-nut parm is my favorite non-dairy recipe.  Or, to make a quick version, combine 1/2 cup hemp seeds, 1/4 nutritional yeast and 1 teaspoon sea salt.

• If you are saving some of the lasagna for leftovers, just dollop the pesto over individual plates rather than the entire dish (otherwise the pesto will brown).  To store extra pesto, transfer to a air tight jar, cover with a thick layer of olive oil and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.  

• This lasagna works great for leftovers! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for a week.

Tools

12-inch skillet

Glass, or non-reactive mixing bowl

2 medium mixing bowls 

Food processor

optional Garlic press 

Chopping knife

Cutting board

Rubber spatula

Wood spoon

Vegan and Gluten-Free Skillet Lasagna

A healthy and satisfying dish that is both gluten-free and vegan. The lasagna is layered with a lentil-mushroom sauce, herbed tofu ricotta and topped with walnut pesto.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

For the lasagne:

• 14-16 oz gluten-free, no boil lasagna noodles
• 1 small white or yellow onion finely diced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 zuchinni finely diced
• 1/2 pound crimini or button mushrooms, roughly chopped into small cubes
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup cooked French lentils
• 2 teaspoons white miso paste
• 28 oz organic whole peeled or crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon red pepper
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan of choice to top

Walnut Pesto:

• 1 cup spinach, packed
• 1 cup basil, packed, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Zest of half a lemon
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 1 garlic clove
• Sea salt and and freshly ground pepper to taste

Herbed Tofu Ricotta:

• 14 oz firm tofu, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Prep and organize your ingredients. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and pour a hefty drizzle of olive oil into the pan (about 1/4 cup). Add the diced onions, carrots and zucchini. Sauté for about 7-10 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned and have softened.
2. Next, stir in the cubed mushrooms, minced garlic and a pinch of salt to taste. Cover with a lid for about 2-3 minutes to release the water from the mushrooms. Stir and continue to cook uncovered and then covered, reducing the mushrooms and allowing the liquid to evaporate; about 10-15 more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the Pesto. In a food processor, combine the spinach, basil, walnuts, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl. Don’t worry about cleaning the food processor, you want some of the pesto mixed in with the herbed ricotta.
4. Once the mushrooms have reduced, add the miso paste, lentils, oregano, chili flakes and fresh ground pepper to taste. Stir and cook another 30 seconds, until the miso dissolves. Then, add the tomatoes; crush them with your hands if using whole tomatoes (be careful of the splatter!). Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until it has thickened and the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
5. Prepare the herbed ricotta. Add the drained tofu, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of sea salt to taste. Pulse repeatedly until the ingredients are combined and coarsely ground but not smooth; the ricotta should have a good texture. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and stir in about 1/3 cup of the pesto.
6. Scoop out 2/3 of the tomato sauce into a non-reactive bowl, leaving 1/3 of the sauce at the bottom of the skillet. Then, place the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, breaking up some small pieces to cover the entire surface. Next, dollop half the herbed ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. Repeat with another 1/3 of the sauce, lasagna noodles and the remaining ricotta. Finally, add another layer of lasagna and the rest of the sauce. Make sure the noodles are fully covered by the sauce. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and cook in the oven covered for 15-20 minutes.
7. When the lasagna is ready, remove it from the oven. Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and dollop the pesto on top. Garnish with parmesan of choice and a few basil leaves.