Vegan Lasagne Recipe

My favourite dish to make from scratch is vegan lasagne. About a year ago I found out I was lactose intolerant and I kept thinking "Oh god, what am I going to eat now, I love milk, cheese etc". But in actual fact, there are loads of things to eat/make. This lasagne recipe is hands down my favourite... This ragu is probably the best ragu I’ve ever tasted!! FACT!!

Ingredients:-

1 large onion (diced)

1 handful of carrots (chopped)

250ml red wine

500g beef mince

3 tbsp tomato purée

400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 beef stock pods (Knorr have the best ones)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

9-12 lasagne sheets (depending on the size of your baking dish)

150g grated vegan cheese (I usually use Violife)

For the white sauce :-

50g dairy free butter

50g plain flour

550ml Unsweetened Almond milk

Method:- Preheat your oven to 200℃/Gas Mark 6

1. Put a small amount of oil in the bottom of your pan on a medium heat and soften the carrots and onion. Once softened, add in the mince. Leave mince to brown through for around 15 minutes. Once browned, add in the wine and leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and stock pods. Add in the Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, maybe some oregano and a pinch of garlic powder. While this is simmering, have a quick cigarette, do a quick crossword or run around the block a few times. When you have come back from your run/smoke or quickie crossword… if you don’t like any of these, have a quickie with your misses!!

2. …make the white sauce. To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and add the flour. Whisk until combined and cook on low for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the almond milk until you have a loose sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Return to a low/gentle heat and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens. Do not leave the sauce out before putting in a baking tray/tin as it will continue to thicken.

3. Layer up the lasagne in a baking dish, starting with a third each of the ragu (making sure that you cannot see the bottom of the dish), then a layer of pasta sheets, then the white sauce. Repeat twice (depending on the size of your dish. Top with the Violife grated cheese (or dairy free grated cheese of your choice) then bake in the oven for 40-45 mins. Bake until piping hot, bubbling on top and crisp around the edges. Serve immediately. Best served with chunky chips or a side salad (or both if you are really hungry)

Freezing and defrosting guidelines:-

Leave the dish out and allow to cool completely. Once the dish has cooled, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge for around 12 hours before reheating. Loosely cover with foil and bake until dish is covered. Reheat until piping hot and cheese begins to bubble.

For the Salad to serve with dish… Grab a medium bowl and add in 25ml of olive oil with 15ml Worcestershire sauce. Add in 2 cloves of chopped garlic and 2tsp seeded mustard. Pour over the salad and give it a good mix with a pair of tongs of get in there and get your hands dirty… I like to get my hands dirty. Feels a bit more rewarding. Don’t ask why!!