Stovetop 'Lasagna' with Almond Ricotta & Spinach Pesto

This recipe is definite vegan comfort food, perfect for cold nights when you’re craving something warming and flavorful. This dish, inspired by Laura Wright’s skillet lasagna, is a bit easier than a traditional lasagna in that it doesn’t require any fussy layering of noodles. I love making this for dinner guests as a lot of the steps can be done in advance, leaving very little active time for the final cook - plus, it’s always a hit with both vegan and meat-eating friends!

Ingredients

For the almond ricotta

• 1 cup slivered blanched almonds, soaked for 2 hours and then drained
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1.5 tsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Dash of garlic powder
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup water

For the spinach pesto

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups spinach, packed
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

For the lasagna

• 8 oven ready lasagna noodles, broken into thirds (See Note)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups of cauliflower, chopped (See Note)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3/4 cup cooked green lentils
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 30 oz. tomato sauce (we use a simple tomato basil)
• 1 cup spinach, packed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients for the almond ricotta in the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender and puree, scraping down the sides a couple times as needed. You may want to add a few more teaspoons of water, which will increase the fluffiness, if it looks too grainy. Remove once smooth and set aside.
2. To make the pesto, place the 2 cloves of garlic in the food processor bowl and pulse until they are chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the pesto is smooth. Remove and set aside.
3. In a large dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, carrot, and cauliflower and saute for 5-8 minutes, until the onions and cauliflower are beginning to brown. Add the lentils, garlic, chili flakes, and a few grinds of salt and pepper and cook for another minute or so.
4. Add the tomato sauce and about 1/4 cup of water and stir everything together. Bring to a simmer and then add the lasagna noodles, pushing them around until they’re submerged in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the remaining spinach leaves and stir everything once more, adding a bit of water if the mixture is drying out at the bottom. Then place spoonfuls of the almond ricotta and pesto on top, flattening them with the back of the spoon. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. When serving, be sure each helping has dollops of both almond ricotta and pesto.

Notes

• To use non-oven ready lasagna noodles in this dish: cook noodles in boiling water for 2 minutes less than instructed before draining, cutting into thirds, and adding in step 4.
• We’ve used a variety of veggies in this recipe from mushrooms to broccoli to eggplant - if cauliflower isn’t your favorite, try substituting 2 cups of a different seasonal veg instead!

Nutrition Facts