Recipes » Main Dish » Red Lentil Veggie Lasagna
T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Ingredients

Lasagna

  • 3 to 4 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 ​ zucchinis, sliced
  • 4 cups of vegetable, red lentil, and seed filling
  • 2 to 3 cups leafy greens (spinach, cabbage, beet greens)
  • 4 cups of almond “ricotta” cheese
  • 1 ripe plantain, sliced and baked
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup nutritional yeast for topping
  • Basil and fresh tomatoes for garnish

Marinara Sauce

  • 3 cups tomato puree
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 ½ tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¾ tsp garlic powder
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1½ to 2 Tbsp date paste
  • ¼ to ½ tsp garam masala
  • ¾ tsp sea salt
  • 1½ Tbsp plant-based milk
  • ⅛ to ¼ tsp black pepper

Vegetable, Red Lentil, and Seed Filling

  • ½ head of a medium cauliflower, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 4 dehydrated tomatoes, soaked
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, crushed
  • 2 cups red lentils, cooked
  • 2 Tbsp of tomato paste mixed with 2 Tbsp of water
  • 1 tsp Italian herbs
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Almond “Ricotta” Cheese

  • 2 cups blanched almonds
  • 2 to 3 tsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ to ¾ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¾ to 1 cup of water
  • 3 Tbsp fresh basil, oregano, or parsley (optional)

Instructions

Marinara Sauce

  • 1. In a medium saucepan, combine all the marinara ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat.
  • 2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Vegetable, Red Lentil, and Seed Filling

  • 1. In a food processor, process all the ingredients to the desired size. The idea is to mimic ground beef or textured soy meat.
  • 2. Cook over low heat, taking advantage of the juices that the vegetables expel.
  • 3. Once the liquid is absorbed, set aside.

Almond “Ricotta” Cheese

  • 1. In a high-speed blender, blend all the ingredients to form a paste.
  • 2. Scrape the sides of the blender so that the almonds break down and you don’t have chunks.
  • 3. Add more water, as needed, to achieve a smooth texture.

Assembling the Lasagna

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • 2. In a 9”×9” lasagna pan, layer half of each in the following order: marinara sauce; zucchini slices; vegetable, red lentil, and seed filling; leafy greens; almond “ricotta” cheese; and cooked plantain slices.
  • 3. Repeat with another layer of ingredients.
  • 4. Bake covered for 30 minutes, and then uncovered for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
  • 5. Sprinkle on some nutritional yeast and garnish with fresh basil and tomatoes.

Cooking Tips

  • 1. You can combine yellow and green zucchini.
  • 2. To prepare the marinara sauce, I recommend using the Pomi brand of tomatoes or a variety without added salt.
  • 3. You can substitute salt with dulse seaweed.
  • 4. To prepare the vegetable and seed filling, you can substitute the pumpkin seeds with walnuts.
  • 5. To prepare the "ricotta" cheese, you can use 2 tsp of Italian herbs instead of the fresh herbs.
  • 6. Serve the lasagna with quinoa or brown rice.

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