Rawspirations

Welcome to a delightful twist on a classic Italian comfort food—my plant-based creamy béchamel vegetarian lasagne! As an Italian, I know that finding the perfect substitutes for gluten intolerances, dairy and meat, while still capturing the essence of traditional flavours can be a bit of a culinary challenge. But fear not!

This recipe embraces a rich, creamy béchamel made entirely from plant-based ingredients, paired with layers of fresh, vibrant vegetables and spelt lasagne sheets. It’s a harmonious blend of wholesome ingredients that not only honours my Italian heritage but also caters to dietary needs without compromising on taste. So, let’s dive into this deliciously modern take on a beloved classic and enjoy a lasagne that’s as satisfying as it is inclusive!

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Ingredients

You will need:

A lasagne tray
250g lasagne sheets (may need pre boiling depending on which one you buy) (I used Organic spelt lasagne sheets as the gluten in spelt has a different molecular make-up than the gluten in modern wheat. It is more fragile and more water soluble, which makes it easier to digest. Spelt is also higher in fiber than wheat, and the extra fiber aids in the digestion of the gluten. (Not suitable for celiacs)

Veggie filling:

* 1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and sliced lengthways into 5mm pieces

* 10 field or brown mushrooms (sliced)

* 1 tbsp vegan butter

* 2 eggplants, sliced and thickly sliced lengthways

* 2 red capsicum, de-seeded & sliced into fours

* 3 zucchinis, thinly sliced lengthways

* Handful basil, chopped

* 1 crushed garlic * Olive oil, approx. 3 tablespoons

* Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

* 2 x 700g of your favourite ready-made pasta sauce. (or make your own by very lightly frying 3 cloves of crushed garlic in rice bran oil. Add 2 x 700g bottles of organic passata, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup chopped basil and 1.5 tsp Himalayan or Celtic salt. Bring to boil then turn down heat to simmer for 30- 40mins. * )

* 3 tbsp vegan butter

* 3 cups coconut milk

* 6 tbsp gluten free plain flour

* 1 tsp rock salt (or to taste)

* 1/2 butternut pumpkin, roughly cut into 5cm chunks

* 1 container (227g) Tofutti cream cheese (I used their herb one).

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 180 degrees

Method

PART 1: Prepare the vegetables for the filling

On a lined baking tray, place evenly-spaced pumpkin chunks and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for approx 40 mins (or until corners start to brown)
Heat butter in saucepan and sauté mushrooms in garlic.
Take sliced eggplant, pumpkin slices and capsicum, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and roast for 20

-30mins

Once the capsicum has cooked, place it in a zip-lock bag for at least 15 mins to sweat. Then peel off the skin and slice the capsicum into strips.
Set all of vour vegetables aside.

PART 2: Prepare the sauces & creamy pumpkin topping

White sauce: on a hot stove melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add flour and ¼ cup dairy-free milk to create a smooth paste, then add the rest of the milk while stirring constantly. Add salt to taste. Then turn heat off and set aside.
Creamy pumpkin topping: in a large mixing bowl, mash together the roasted pumpkin chunks and tofutti cream cheese until well blended.

PART 3: layer & cook lasagne

In a 28 x 17 x 6cm baking dish, spread a thin layer of the pasta sauce
Place first layer of pasta sheets down and start creating your lasagna layers.
Use a large spoon to spread white sauce and pasta sauce across each layer (approx 3/4 cup of white sauce, 1/2 cup pasta sauce per layer). This is not only important for the pasta sheets to cook properly – but will ensure a creamy and saucy lasagne!

Suggested layering:

Bottom layer: Pumpkin slices
Layer 2: red capsicum & mushrooms
*Tip (I mixed the creamy pumpkin sauce in between some of these layers)
Layer 3: eggplant & zucchini
Layer 4: tomato and basil
Top Layer: spread the remaining pasta sauce and white sauce on the top layer of pasta, and then spread the creamy pumpkin mix. It should be evenly spread to form a delicious ‘seal’ to the dish — so be sure to spread it right to the edges.
Then bake:
Cover dish and place in the oven for 45 min then a further 10-15 uncovered) until browned.