Ciao Bella Vegan Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

INGREDIENCE

For the meaty pasta sauce:

1 tbsp cooking oil of choice

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 jars tomato basil pasta sauce I use Bertolli sauce

1lb of plant based meat. (I use impossible burger. you can use Vegan Sausage as well.)

2 teaspoons Ciao Bella Italian seasoning

For the tofu ricotta

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp tahini

1 tsp white miso (I use a low-sodium one)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 block firm tofu* (454 g)

1-2 teaspoons Spice Sisters Garlic Salt

3 cups frozen spinach (loosely packed, or about 1 1/2 cups thawed spinach) To assemble:

1 box lasagna noodles (10 oz/280g) I used gluten-free pasta

1 cup vegan cheese (add more if you like it super cheezy) I like VioLife brand

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

To make the pasta sauce:

In a medium pot over medium heat, add diced onion and Ciao Bell Italian seasoning in oil until lightly browned. Add 1 1/2 jars of tomato sauce (maybe lower the heat to reduce splattering) and heat through.

Add plant based meat/sausage and cook until just heated through. Set aside.

To make the tofu ricotta:

Mix in a bowl or use food processor.  Combine lemon juice, tahini, white miso, nutritional yeast, and garlic salt. Crumble in the tofu and mix well to combine.

Defrost the frozen spinach and add to the tofu mixture. Stir well to combine. 

Cook pasta noodles according to the package

Spread some of the sauce reserved from that 1/2 of the jar on the bottom of a 9x13 glass casserole dish.

Arrange and layer noodles, meaty sauce, ricotta and repeat. Top with noodles, meaty sauce (if there's any left, if not use the rest of that jar of pasta), and layer of vegan cheese. Be sure to cover all noodles in sauce or else it'll dry out while baking

Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered. Serve and enjoy!