Holy cold front that is swinging through our area this week. When it’s cold and rainy, comfort food is the best. This recipe uses tofu to stand in for traditional ricotta cheese, a recipe that I adapted slightly from www.rouxbe.com. Using tofu in place of ricotta is an easy swap out, as it has the same texture. No one will know, trust me. Tofu is high in plant-based protein and calcium, while being low in fat and cholesterol free. I’d prefer this lasagna with layers of zucchini and eggplant instead of noodles, but sometimes you have to make some sacrifices to make the whole family happy. Right? Jovial pasta is the best gluten-free brand of pasta that I have found. I have served it to many people and they have no idea it’s gluten free. Just be sure not to over cook it, or it will fall apart. For lasagna, it’s better to undercook it, as it can finish cooking while it’s baking.
The tofu ricotta calls for nutritional yeast. If you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast, it’s a flaked product that adds a cheesy flavor to dishes, minus the cheese. I love it, but it can be overpowering sometimes. In this dish it helps to balance the flavors and doesn’t stand out. It is packed with a bunch of Vitamin Bs, a group of minerals often lacking in plant-based foods. You can buy nutritional yeast on Amazon, or in at your local food co-op.
Kale and other spring greens are in season now, so use whatever you can get fresh from the farmer’s market or your own garden. I used a blend of swiss chard, kale, and spinach for this. dark greens are also a great source of plant-based protein and calcium, along with iron and fiber.
To top the lasagna, I made a cashew cream cheese in place of the typical mozzarella cheese. It browns up nicely, and doesn’t have the same inflaming affects that cheese has on the body. You can make and bake this ahead of time to freeze and reheat at a later time. 
Ingredients:
Tofu Ricotta:
- 2 blocks of firm tofu (2 pounds), pressed for about 30 minutes and crumbled
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 6 tbsp minced shallots or red onion
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 7 cups of various greens-I often use a combo of whatever is fresh: kale, swiss chard, spinach, steamed and drained
- 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground pepper
To Assemble:
- 13 oz jovial lasagna noodles (that’s like 1 1/2 packs)-or zucchini and eggplants slice in long strips on a mandolin for a grain-free version
- jarred or fresh tomato sauce
- Dried or fresh oregano
- 1 recipe of cashew cream cheese
- Topping: fresh parsley, crushed red pepper
Instructions:
- Prepare the tofu ricotta. Make sure you press the tofu to remove excess moisture. For how to do this, check out my you tube video (or click below), and then crumble.
- Steam greens and drain off excess water.
- Mix all remaining ingredients for ricotta together.
- Cook pasta noodles, and drain. Be sure not to overcook. It’s better to slightly undercook them.
- Place enough sauce to cover the base of a 9×13 inch pan. Place a layer of noodles, sauce, then ricotta. Repeat until noodles and filling are gone, finishing with a layer of sauce
- Top with several dollops of cashew cream cheese and sprinkle with fresh or dried oregano
- Preheat oven to 375 and bake covered for about 45 minutes, uncover and let brown, an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let rest 15 minutes before cutting.
- Serve topped with fresh parsley and crushed red pepper if desired.
Nutritional Benefits:
- Plant-based and gluten free-reduces inflammation in the body
- Cholesterol free and low in saturated fat (2 g), while this does have a high amount of fat (14 g), it comes from nut-based sources. These monounsaturated fats have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease
- High in plant-based calcium-good for bones and teeth, 12% of daily needs, and more readily absorbed by the body
- High in plant-based protein-good for healing and repairing tissues, almost 20 g/serving
- Good source of iron; 15%, important for oxygenation of blood, and plant-based sources help the body to absorb this mineral without overtaxing the body
- Good source of fiber; almost 5 g, great for digestive health, reducing risk of many forms of cancer, lowers blood sugar; would be higher if you replaced pasta with noodles made from zucchini and/or eggplant/butternut squash
- If made using zucchini or eggplant in place of pasta-this would be grain free and low glycemic and higher in fiber; great for diabetics
Want to learn how to press tofu?
- 2 blocks of firm tofu (2 pounds), pressed for about 30 minutes and crumbled
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 6 tbsp minced shallots or red onion
- 1½ tbsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1½ tsp sea or kosher salt
- 7 cups of various greens-I often use a combo of whatever is fresh: kale, swiss chard, spinach, steamed and drained
- ⅓ cup of nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 13 oz jovial lasagna noodles (that's like 1½ packs)or zucchini and eggplants slice in long strips on a mandolin for a grain-free version
- jarred or fresh tomato sauce
- Dried or fresh oregano
- 1 recipe of cashew cream cheese
- Topping: fresh parsley, crushed red pepper
- Prepare the tofu ricotta. Make sure you press the tofu to remove excess moisture. For how to do this, check out my you tube video, and then crumble.
- Steam greens and drain off excess water.
- Mix all remaining ingredients for ricotta together.
- Cook pasta noodles, and drain. Be sure not to overcook. It's better to slightly undercook them.
- Place enough sauce to cover the base of a 9x13 inch pan. Place a layer of noodles, sauce, then ricotta. Repeat until noodles and filling are gone, finishing with a layer of sauce
- Top with several dollops of cashew cream cheese and sprinkle with fresh or dried oregano
- Preheat oven to 375 and bake covered for about 45 minutes, uncover and let brown, an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let rest 15 minutes before cutting.
- Serve topped with fresh parsley and crushed red pepper if desired.
