Raw Lasagna

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a raw recipe, so today I thought I would share a recipe for raw vegan lasagna. This recipe is very easy to do, but presents beautifully. I’ve included instructions for two ways to assemble it as well…

Serves 4

2 zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise

For the portobello layer:
1 portobello mushroom cap, brushed clean and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons cold pressed olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Toss portoballo with oil, salt and garlic. Dehydrate for 1 hour @ 115 degrees.

For the tomato sauce:
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped (heirloom tomatoes are wonderful when in season)
1 sun-dried tomato, soaked 20 minutes
1 date, soaked 20 minutes , pitted & chopped
1/4 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (optional or to taste)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup walnuts
Pulse everything together in a food processor until well mixed but still a little chunky.

For the macadamia nut cheese:
1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked overnight (discard the soak water and rinse the nuts very well)
1/8 cup rosemary, chopped
1/8 cup basil, chopped
1/8 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 Teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
1/4 cup water, to aid in blending to the right consistency

Blend everything together in the food processor or blender until smooth.

For the creamy herb sauce (optional):
¾ cup cashews, soaked 2 hours minimum (rinse and discard the soak water)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup water
½ Tablespoon soy lecithin (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
1 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped chives

Blend everything together in a blender. Set aside until ready to use.

To Assemble:

There are essentially two ways to build this dish. In the picture above we lined a mini bread pan or small square baking pan with some plastic wrap and layered the lasagna in the pan much the same way you would a cooked lasagna, and then refrigerated it and allowed it to set up. Lining the pan in plastic allows you to remove the lasagna easier, so make sure that you have some of the  plastic hanging over the edge so you have something to hold onto when you lift it out.

After a night in the frig, we remove the lasagna from the pan and cut it into pieces to serve. You can also build it “a la minute” and skip the process of forming it in a pan. This will allow you to eat it right away, but it will look less like cooked lasagna.Follow the directions below for the order in which to build either the

Lay down two thin slices of zucchini side by side. Spread out some of the marinated portobello and fresh chopped spinach. Lay down two more sheets of zucchini and top with a layer of macadamia cheese. Layer two more zucchini slices and top with some more portobello and spinach. Continue as many layers as desired, alternating macadamia cheese and portobello/spinach. Garnish with freshly chopped basil and nutritional yeast if desired. Top with lots of tomato sauce and the creamy herb sauce (optional) when ready to serve.

Below is a photo of a raw lasagna that was assembled a la minute, for reference. Some of the vegetables have varied in the picture below, but essentially the ingredients are the same (except for a layer of vegan pesto), and only the techniques for assembling it are different.

 

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