Lasagna With Cashew “Ricotta” (Dairy & Gluten-Free)

This dairy-free lasagna uses cashews to make a plant-based “ricotta”. Filled with a hearty meat sauce, spinach, and gluten-free noodles, this comfort food has everything you want.

Serves 6

Meat Sauce

1 Onion, diced small
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Pound ground turkey sausage, casings removed (Or beef or chicken sausage or a combo. See note)
1 10-12oz jar favorite marinara sauce (Look for a brand without additives such as Rao’s)
Olive oil

Lasagne

½ Pound lasagna noodles (brown rice lasagna noodles or lentil/brown rice lasagna noodles)
1 Pound (1 package) frozen chopped spinach

Cashew Ricotta

3 Cups raw, unsalted cashews (about 250g), soaked overnight or for 30 minutes in hot water
1 Tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon (2 tbs)
¼ Cup nutritional yeast
1 cup aquafaba (Liquid from a can of chickpeas. See directions)

Equipment

Food processor
Electric hand mixer
9×9 Baking dish

Preheat oven to 350.
Make meat sauce: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom and let heat. Add the minced onion and saute until translucent, adding a large 3 finger pinch of salt as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the meat and cook until cooked through, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add ⅓ of the jar of marinara (about 1 cup) and simmer for 10-15 minutes
Cook the noodles: While the sauce simmers, cook lasagna noodles per the directions by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil and cook until al dente. Drain, and toss with a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking until ready to use.
Make the cheese sauce: First, make the cashew cheese by draining the soaked cashews and rinsing. Place in the food processor and blend with the lemon juice and salt until smooth. Adding water 1 Tbs. at a time as needed until you get a texture similar to ricotta. Taste to see if more salt is needed. Second, make the aquafaba by draining a can of chickpeas and saving the liquid. Place this liquid in a bowl and use an electric hand mixer to blend until white and frothy. Continue to blend until soft peaks form when the mixer is lifted up (about 3 min on high). Fold 1 cup of the aquafaba with the cashew cheese gently by hand. Set this aside.
Defrost the spinach by placing it in a strainer and running under hot water. Use your hands to squeeze out all the excess water until spinach is completely dry (will look like only about 1 cup).
Assemble: Add ¼ cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9×9 baking dish. Layer ⅓ of the noodles, ⅓ meat sauce, ⅓ cashew cheese, and ½ spinach. Repeat 2 more times. Finish with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until edges bubble and the top layer is firm.

Notes

If not able to find a high-quality sausage without additives, you can use any ground meat and add 1 tsp onion powder, oregano, parsley, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes to the meat mixture.
While the aquafaba makes the cashew cheese mixture much more light and airy, this dish can be made without that step.

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