Dairy-free Lasagna

I’m deep in the lasagna world through my volunteerism with Lasagna Love and wanted to share an option for a dairy-free/vegan lasagna. This is not the only or best way to make a cheese-less ricotta substitute, but it is likely the cheapest and easiest to source. Let’s turn white beans and summer squash into “ricotta”.

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

This wouldn’t be a fake-out for those who normally eat cheese, but some cheeseless options are costly or difficult. A popular option for “ricotta” is bulk buying raw cashews which is expensive, and sometimes using an unfamiliar ingredient – like tofu, or sourcing dairy-free options can be tough for some people or in some stores. I find that this white bean & squash mixture is a solid substitute for ricotta amongst sauce and noodles and some herbs.

Dairy-free Lasagna
Ingredients: (serves ~4)

9 lasagna noodles
1 can white beans (drained but liquid reserved)
1 small summer squash/yellow squash/or pealed zucchini
1 teaspoon dried basil/oregano/Italian seasoning
1-2 cups of dairy-free shredded mozzarella
~2 cups of tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and chop the squash.
Saute or steam the squash until cooked through.
Drain the beans but reserve the liquid and add the beans into a food processor with the cooked squash (my photos are of a double batch).

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

Blend together adding ~1/2 the bean liquid, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Scrape down the sides and blend until smooth. Add more liquid (or water) if desired. Stir in herbs.

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

Cook the noodles until totally pliable.
Assemble the lasagna – I did 9 roll ups so I didn’t have to trim noodles for a few servings, but this could be a 9×9 pan too as a more traditional layered lasagna.
Lay the noodles out, spread on the ricotta-substitute and sprinkle with dairy-free cheese and roll up.

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

Spray the pan with non-stick spray, add some sauce to the bottom, and lay the rolls into the pan. Top with more sauce.

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove foil, top with remaining “mozzarella”, and bake for another 5-10 until the cheese melts. The broiler may help as dairy-free cheese doesn’t melt exactly the same.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Dairy-free Lasagna

I liked it! I made a double batch to have some in the freezer. This is a thin & minimal use here, but I think it gives the impression of ricotta. I will use the remainder for my next dairy-free lasagna request or, maybe I’d mix some 1:1 with ricotta for a protein boost, or with a dollop of pesto. It also could thicken a chowder or add some nutrition to alfredo.

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