Light & Bright Summer Plant-Based Lasagna

I absolutely love making this plant-based lasagna. It's perfect any time of year but what I love most about this lasagna is how light and bright the flavors are, which makes it a lovely option when you want lasagna but don't want a super heavy dairy and meat-filled meal. 
​Enjoy!

Because there aren't any fake cheese components to this recipe, there are many steps and it can take some time. I assure it, all of your hard work will be worth it once you taste it!
I love that this lasagna is entirely homemade (with the exception of the noodles), and that it's full of protein, fat, carbs, and veggies.
The components of this lasagna are all listed below, and they include the almond pesto, walnut parmesan crumbles, and the blackened tomato sauce.
​Enjoy the process & the tasty meal at the end!

Blackened Tomato Sauce

​The blacked tomato sauce brings such an incredible depth to the flavors of this meal- it's truly amazing!

Ingredient List:

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 3 dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (or 1.5 pre-packaged sun-dried tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1 small carrot
• ​sea salt, to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. In a cast iron skillet or wok, black the tomatoes whole over high heat without any oil
2. Remove the seeds and stem of the bell pepper and blacken in the same pan, still without any oil
3. Transfer the blackened tomatoes and bell pepper to a high-powered blender and add all of the remaining ingredients except the sea salt (the salt from the sun-dried tomatoes may be enough without the sea salt). Add sea salt to taste. 

Walnut Parmesan Crumbles

This walnut parmesan is nothing short of genius, in my opinion! The texture is incredible, and it's packed with the health benefits of walnuts! Doesn't get any better!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until they're mealy in texture
2. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, and sea salt. Pulse a few more times until mixed well.

Almond Pesto Spread

This pesto is super versatile! It can be poured over noodles, as a spread on sandwiches, or in this lasagna! This pesto is what really sets this dish apart from other heavy-feeling lasagnas. 

Ingredients:

• Leaves from 2 bunches of basil (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
• Juice of 1 medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Water

Directions:

1. In a high-powered blender or food processor, add basil, almonds, olive or almond oil, lemon juice and salt. Pause to scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor as needed to ensure everything gets completely blended. It will have a paste-like texture.
2. Add very small amounts of water (about 1 tablespoon) at a time to achieve your desired consistency. For this dish, I use a few tablespoons but if you're using this as a spread, I use less water to keep it thicker.

Directions:

Once all of your sauces and "cheeses" are complete, follow the directions below to assemble and bake the lasagna.

1. Bake the lasagna noodles of your choice per the package instructions
2. In a deep rectangular lasagna dish, lightly oil the bottom and sides with olive oil or avocado oil
3. Arrange a layer of noodles on the bottom of the dish
4. Using a spoon and your fingers, spread 1 teaspoon of the almond pesto across each noodle
5. Add another layer of noodles and spread the almond pesto over this layer. Repeat until you run out of almond pesto, noodles, or you reach the upper portion of your dish
6. Pour the blackened tomato sauce over the noodles and make sure the sauce spreads over the entire surface. You may or may not use all of the sauce.
7. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake according to the noodle packaging directions, or until the noodles are soft when a fork is inserted into it. Remove from oven and remove foil
​8. Sprinkle a layer of walnut parmesan over the top of the lasagna and serve warm

​ENJOY!!