Vegan Red Lentil Lasagna

Lasagna - today in a version with red lentils.

Lasagna is a dish with which you can let your creativity run wild. No matter what filling you use - classic vegan Bolognese, roasted vegetables, spinach or other ideas - it always comes out tasty! This recipe is based on delicious red lentil bolognese. The advantage: you do not need any alternative products, such as vegan minced meat, so the dish is much cheaper and also something for the end of the month. In addition, the red lentils score with their high nutrient and protein value.

Topped with homemade bechamel sauce and vegan grated cheese (cheap alternative: homemade cheese sauce), this lasagna is a real all-round soul food.

For a large casserole dish you will need:

For the lentil bolognese:

• 1 onion

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 4 large carrots

• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste

• 2 pck. canned tomatoes

• 250g red lentils

• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder

• 1 tsp hot paprika powder

• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder

• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes

• salt, pepper

For the bechamel sauce:

• 1 tbsp. oil

• 2 tbsp. light spelt flour (alternative: wheat flour)

• approx. 750ml unsweetened soy milk

• 1 tablespoon light miso paste

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 2 tbsp yeast flakes

• salt, pepper

Other:

• 1 pck. vegan grated cheese (alternative: homemade cheese sauce).

Preparation:

1. For the lentil bolognese, peel the onion and garlic and chop them into fine cubes.

2. Peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes as well.

3. Put the lentils in a sieve and wash them well under running water.

4. Heat some oil in a pot and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.

5. Add the carrots and sauté them at high heat.

6. Then add the tomato paste. Roast it shortly as well.

7. Now sprinkle smoked, sweet and hot paprika powder over the carrots and mix everything well.

8. Finally, add the lentils and the canned tomatoes.

9. Season well with salt and pepper and let the sauce simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still have a slight bite. Stir occasionally.

10. For the bechamel sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan.

11. Stir in the flour with a whisk and roast, stirring constantly.

12. Slowly pour in the soy milk, stirring constantly so no lumps form.

13. Bring the sauce to a boil and season to taste.

14. If the sauce has flour lumps, you can simply mix it with a blender or strain it through a fine sieve.

15. Lightly grease a casserole and line it with lasagna plates.

16. Cover the plates with some of the lentil bolognese.

17. Then pour some of the béchamel sauce over it.

18. Now start from the beginning following the same scheme: Lasagna plates - Bolognese - Béchamel sauce.

19. Continue like this until the bolognese is used up (in my case it took 3 layers).

20. Cover the last layer of béchamel sauce again with lasagna sheets, pour the remaining bechamel sauce on top and sprinkle the vegan grated cheese on top.

21. Now the lentil lasagna should be baked in the oven at 180°C / 350°F for about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

If you want an alternative to red lentils, maybe this vegan lasagna Bolognese or this refined pumpkin and chestnut lasagna is the right choice.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)