This recipe is one that we often make when we have house guests because it is satisfying for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. The tofu adds richness to the fresh taste of the vegetables and spinach, while the tangy sauce pulls all of the flavors together.
Ingredients
- 1 box Lasagna noodles
- 1 lb Firm tofu
- 10-oz box Chopped spinach, frozen
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 cup Veggies, chopped (such as zucchini, broccoli, or peppers or a combination)
- 2 Tomatoes, chopped
- 7-8 oz (1/2 can) Pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup Salsa
- 1 tsp Olive oil (for veggies)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil (for sauce)
- 2 tsp Basil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Tahini
- 1 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
- Defrost the spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. When they are done, run cold water over them so they don’t stick together.
- While the noodles cook, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and basil.
- Cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic and chopped veggies, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. The veggies should be slightly cooked but still crisp.
- In a medium bowl, mix the pizza sauce and salsa.
- In a small jar, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, water, and nutritional yeast. Affix the lid and shake until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the tahini dissolves.
- Rinse and drain the tofu. Crumble it thoroughly into a medium bowl, so it is more or less the consistency of ricotta cheese. Add the tahini mixture and mix well. Add the spinach, garlic powder, and garlic salt and mix well.
- Spread some of the tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Put some of the spinach/tofu mixture on top of the noodles. Put some of the veggies on that. Then add a layer of fresh tomatoes and more sauce. Add a layer of noodles and repeat the layers until you run out of ingredients. Save enough tomato sauce so that you can spread it over the top layer of noodles.
- Push a few toothpicks into the top of the noodles about half way and carefully cover the baking dish with foil. The idea is for the toothpicks to keep the foil away from the tomato sauce that is on top of the noodles.
- Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. It should be heated through and bubbly.
Tips
- We recommend Muir Glen pizza sauce. The flavor and consistency are perfect for this dish.
- Use a fresh block of firm tofu, not the silken variety. You want the kind that can be crumbled into small chunks.
- Start and finish with a layer of noodles. Depending upon how many noodles come in the package and how many you put on each layer, you should end up with three or four layers of filling between the noodles.
- Save the other half-can of pizza sauce in a jar and refrigerate it until you can use it in another dish. It works great for things like toaster oven pizza bread or as an addition to a fresh vegetable soup.
- Serve with a fresh leaf lettuce salad on the side.
- The filling ingredients also work well for other baked pasta dishes such as stuffed shells or manicotti.
- Use a fairly plain salsa that is mostly tomato, onions, and spices. We often use Pace Picante (Medium) in this dish. Use a salsa that fits your taste with regard to heat. The extra spiciness adds a nice dimension to the dish.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes baking time).