- How to make vegan lasagna
In partnership with Tnuva (a major Israeli dairy and soy brand)
Going vegan doesn't mean giving up your favorite Italian dishes.
Almost all the classics can be made without animal products.
Take this easy vegan lasagna. It's perfect for having people over, or for those nights when you want to put a little extra love into dinner.
I'm especially fond of this lasagna because it fits nicely into a cutting phase, when I'm working on losing body fat (unlike this lasagna, its slightly richer cousin). It's also a great dinner the night before a long morning run.
Italian food has a special place in my heart. Maybe it's because my mom was born in Milan. Maybe it's all the pasta I ate during my endurance-sports days.
Whole-wheat pasta, made with the whole grain, is a great choice for fullness and blood sugar balance. But I still make room for regular pasta, too.
I don't think regular pasta deserves its bad reputation. It absolutely belongs at a healthy table, especially when you pair it with a sauce that's low in fat and calories.
A serving of lasagna with a big green salad can make a complete, balanced, healthy meal.
It provides enough calories to fuel you, a nice amount of fiber, and, of course, protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
A few recipe notes:
Lasagna noodles: No need to boil the noodles first. These are the kind that soften in the sauce as they bake. I really don't recommend swapping in rice paper.
Tomato sauce: I used a simple store-bought tomato sauce, and it worked beautifully.
There are plenty of options with great nutrition profiles—low in calories, sugar, and fat. Of course, you can also make your own tomato sauce.
Filling: I used spinach, briefly wilted with a little oil and salt. You can replace it with roasted eggplant, zucchini, Swiss chard, or another vegetable. Get creative!
Creamy sauce: For the filling, I blended a block of Tnuva spicy tofu with Tnuva soy cream.
Update: I've been told that Tnuva's spicy tofu gets even hotter when baked. Consider yourself warned!
If you're sensitive to heat, use basil-flavored tofu instead.
The lasagna keeps well in the refrigerator for 2–3 days after baking. It isn't suitable for freezing.
Nutrition information from Noam Becher (an Israeli nutritionist and fitness coach):
One piece, when the lasagna is cut into 8 portions, weighing 200 g (7 oz), contains:
140 calories
8 g protein
23 g carbohydrates
2 g fat
Vegan Lasagna
Ingredients
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles 200 g (7 oz)
- 1 block Tnuva spicy tofu 300 g (10.6 oz)
- 1 container Tnuva soy cream 250 g (8.8 oz)
- 600 g tomato sauce (21 oz)
- 1/2 kg spinach leaves (1.1 lb)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes 50 g (1.8 oz)
- 20 × 30 cm (about 8 × 12-inch) baking dish
Instructions
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Wash the spinach thoroughly and remove any stems.
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Add a little olive oil to a skillet, then add the spinach.
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Season lightly with salt and cover with a lid.
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Cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the spinach is slightly wilted.
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If the spinach leaves are large, you can chop them before or after cooking.
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Remove from the heat and set aside.
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In a food processor, blend the Tnuva spicy tofu with the soy cream until smooth.
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Spread tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking dish and top with 3 lasagna noodles.
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Spread one-third of the tofu mixture over the noodles, add one-third of the spinach, and cover with tomato sauce.
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Repeat twice more, for a total of 3 layers of lasagna noodles.
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Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes over the top.
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Bake for about 40 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
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The lasagna will be a little loose straight from the oven, but it will firm up as it cools.
