Classic Vegan Lasagne
In collaboration with Sainsbury’s
To celebrate the launch of Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers range, I wanted to bring you a recipe that crushes the myth that vegan food can’t be hearty, comforting and filling. This vegan twist on a classic lasagne proves that following a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have to give up your favourite meals. Perfect for a crowd and stuffed full of vegetables, this is a delicious way to show-off how versatile and simple vegan cooking can be.
The star of the show is, of course, Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers vegan mince. It cooks up to have the texture and flavour of ‘real’ meat and was very much approved by the non-vegans in my life. Better still, it comes frozen which means you can keep a bag in your freezer to whip out at a moment’s notice to impress your friends and family with a veganized classic. You can get your hands on it and see the full Plant Pioneers range here!
I served this alongside a homemade garlic baguette and a balsamic rocket salad, and it tasted so much like the hearty meals we used to have when I was growing up. I used durum wheat lasagne sheets for this version, but you could swap them out for a wholewheat version if you’d prefer.
Classic Vegan Lasagne
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
- 1 pack (500g) Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers frozen mince
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 2 tins plum tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Approx. 8 dried lasagne sheets
- 100g vegan butter
- 100g plain white flour
- 900ml oat milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius on the fan setting.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan and add the mince and 50ml water.
- Stir frequently while the mince defrosts (around 5 mins), then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the onion, garlic celery and carrot. Cook over a medium-low heat until soft and then season with the salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, use your hands to crush the plum tomatoes, then add to the pan along with the cooked mince and 1 can-full of water.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and then turn the heat right down, cover, and allow to reduce for 35-45 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
- Meanwhile, gently melt the butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add the flour and mix well to combine – it should form a sort of doughy ball (the roux). Stir over the heat for 5 minutes to add colour to the roux.
- Gradually add the oat milk and whisk well to avoid a lumpy sauce. Once completely incorporated and you have a smooth sauce, add salt and pepper to taste and the cayenne pepper and mustard.
- Simmer over a low heat for 30 mins or until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Check the cooking instructions of your lasagne sheets – some require pre-cooking before use – if this is the case, cook according to package instructions before beginning to construct your lasagne.
- To construct the lasagne, start by spreading a layer of the mince mixture over the bottom of your casserole dish. Follow with a layer of white sauce then a layer of pasta sheets.
- Repeat until your casserole dish is full – the number of layers will vary according to the size of your dish, ours fitted 4 pasta layers. On top of the final pasta layer, pour over the remaining white sauce.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown on top and bubbling around the edges.
- Leave to cool slightly before cutting and serve with salad and garlic bread.
