Lasagna

Impossible Burger sauce seasoned with basil, oregano, and fennel seeds. Layered with vegan cheeses and homemade cashew ricotta.

Overview

This recipe is creamy, cheesy, and savory. The Impossible Burger adds heartiness to the sauce, which is seasoned with fresh parsley, dried basil, and dried oregano. Layered with homemade cashew ricotta and vegan cheeses.

We include a homemade cashew ricotta recipe below. If you’ve never had, or tried, cashew ricotta before you are in for a treat. It is surprisingly simple to make and adds a nice flavor and texture profile to the dish.

Along with the normal set of cookware, kitchen appliances, and measuring utensils there are two in particular that are required to make this recipe. These equipment considerations include:

• Food processor
• 9 x 13 inch baking dish

Let’s walk through the cooking process next.

Cooking Notes

Prep Work

Measure the raw cashews and add them to a bowl filled with water. Allow the cashews to soak for several hours before starting this recipe. This will soften the cashews and make them easier to pulse in a food processor.

Also at this stage we can prepare the onion, garlic, and parsley. Select two to three cloves of garlic and peel the skins off. Then mince the garlic and place in a small bowl. Chop the onion and place in the same bowl. Last, mince the parsley and divide it into two portions. One for the cashew ricotta and one for the lasagna sauce.

Cashew Ricotta

Drain the water from the raw cashews with a strainer. Then add all the cashew ricotta ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. Put the cashew ricotta in a small bowl and add the parsley. Stir to combine and then place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Lasagna Sauce

Bring a skillet or Dutch oven up to medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Next, cook the Impossible Burger, or crumbles of choice, until they are browned. Stir the crumbles occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

Using a can opener to remove the lids of the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste add them next. Followed by the parsley, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine the ingredients and then continue to cook the mixture at a low simmer until the sauce thickens. In parallel, now is also a good time to cook the noodles based on the instructions on the packaging.

Assembly

Using a 9 x 13 inch baking dish add a thin layer of sauce. Then place the noodles over the sauce so that they overlap. Use a spatula to add about a 1/3 of the cashew ricotta on top of the noodles and then spread it thin. Place a layer of vegan mozzarella cheese next. Cover the cheese with sauce and use the laddle or serving spoon to even the sauce layer. Sprinkle the top with vegan parmesan cheese. Repeat this layer one more time starting with the noodles.

For the top layer add a row of noodles over the top of the parmesan and sauce layer. Add the remaining cashew ricotta and use a spatula to spread it into a thin layer. Cover the top with mozzarella shreds and parmesan. The lasagna is now ready to be baked.

Baking the Lasagna

Preheat the oven to 375ºF and cover the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake the lasagna on the center rack for 25 – 30 minutes. When the time has elapsed use pot holders or oven mitts to remove the baking dish and allow to sit on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving. Then cut into squares and enjoy! 🙂

Storage

The easiest way to store the leftovers is to keep the aluminum foil that was used during the baking process to cover the baking dish. When the dish has cooled sufficiently it can be moved to the refrigerator. Leftovers should keep for several days before the freshness starts to taper off.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out our other recipes below:

• Baked Ziti
• Baked Shells
• Spicy Seitan and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
• Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Mushrooms, Sweet Peas, and Carrots