The most delicious gluten free and vegan lasagna you'll ever try. Serves a generous 8 or more. This freezes and thaws well making for an easy mid-week meal when you're short on time.
Approx 1 kilo tomato passatastore bought, or make an extra large batch of my homemade tomato sauce recipe and perhaps add some red capsicums whilst roasting
150 - 200gm gluten free pasta sheetssuch as Orgran gluten free lasagna mini sheets
3tbspnolive oil
1large eggplant
Big Handful of basil leaves
4red sweet Spanish peppersthe long ones
2good sized fennel bulbs
1red chilli
1clovegarlic
300gm baby spinach
3blocks firm tofuorganic
3heaped tablespoons nutritional yeastnot brewer’s yeast, though this is also called savoury yeast
1tsponion powder
1tspgarlic powder
Zest one lemon
Himalayan salt
Instructions
Wash spinach and cook in a steamer till just wilted.
Set aside to drain in colander. When cool squeeze out excess moisture.
Finely slice peppers, fennel, chilli and garlic and pan fry in a little oil till softened and slightly caramelised. When done set aside.
In a food processor, blitz the three blocks of tofu with the nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder and lemon zest.
Finely slice the eggplant length-wise, brush slices with a bit of olive oil and gently pan fry till has a little colour, when done set aside on paper towels to blot up excess oil.
TO ASSEMBLE :
Spread half the tomato passata on the bottom of dish (our dish was 35 x 25cm).
Layer on the pasta sheets, turn them to coat.
Next, layer over the eggplant slices. Scatter with basil leaves. Then spread over the tofu mixture with a large fork or spatula.
Next layer over the spinach and gently spread out and sprinkle with a little Himalayan salt.
Then another layer of pasta sheets.
Next spread over the cooked peppers and fennel.
Finally spread over the remaining tomato passata.
Bake in oven at 180˙C (350˙F) for 45 minutes. You can cover with foil if you wish.
Serve hot with fresh basil leaves on the top and a rocket salad or eat as is on its own.
Notes
This recipe will give you lasagna for days! I ended up freezing individual serves. You could easily halve the recipe or perhaps use a bit less tofu.
If you find the lasagna sheets are a bit hard when you take them out of the oven, it’s likely there wasn’t enough passata / tomato sauce. Just spread a bit more over the top to moisten and cook for another 10 minutes.
As an update, Mum has made this multiple times now and we love it most with less tofu and a sprinkle of vegan cheese. Winner!