This lasagne is so much more delicious than it may look at a first glance. Each component is quick and easy to make but with this dish having four components it’s not that quick and easy in its totality. I make this lasagne when I have more time to devote to supper or for special meals with vegan friends.

This recipe was originally from The Vegan Visitor. (Extra points if anyone remembers me mentioning this meal more than two years ago.) One of the things I do different with this recipe is to add more layers. In fact, I always double the recipe and either make a lasagne that is double thick or make two original thin lasagnes. I’ll share the doubled version that I make most often.

Vegan Beet Lasagne with Béchamel Sauce

Putting it all together

  1. I usually make the pasta dough and the tofu ricotta in the morning, setting them aside in the fridge until later. I make the pasta before making the béchamel sauce and sautéed greens and cook the pasta before finally assembling the lasagne.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  3. Spoon a thin coating of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of an 11 x 13 baking dish.
  4. The layers then go like this: pasta, tofu, pasta, béchamel sauce, sautéed greens, pasta, béchamel sauce.
  5. This is the lasagne’s usual thickness. I repeat these layers again for a double thick lasagne.
  6. Thinly sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes, if desired and bake for about 30 minutes or until the top has evenly browned.

Beet Pasta

Beet Pasta

  • 2-3 Red Beets, peeled and chopped
  • 2/3 cup Hot Water
  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Semolina Flour
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  1. Roast or boil beets until tender.
  2. Puree beets in a food processor along with the hot water. Strain in cheese cloth or other, reserving the hot liquid.
  3. Rinse out food processor and change blade to dough blade. Add the flours and the salt and process a couple times to combine.
  4. With the feeder tube open and the motor running, add the oil and then the beet liquid slowly until the dough comes together to form a ball. If you run out of beet liquid and the dough still hasn’t come together, add water by the 1/2 tsp until it does.
  5. Remove the ball of dough from the processor. It should be moist and pliable but not sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Cut dough in four. Work a quarter of the dough at a time and put the rest back in the fridge until needed.
  7. With a little flour on the table flatten the dough a bit with your hands. Set the pasta machine to the widest setting and roll the pasta through. Fold each end of the dough in on itself and roll through again. Repeat until the dough is smooth. This is laminating the dough. Then roll through a couple times on each narrower setting until the desired thickness. Dusting the pasta with flour as you go will make it easier to work with.
  8. (Alternatively, you can roll out the pasta without a pasta machine using just the rolling pin.)
  9. Hang pasta to dry on clean broom handle or wooden dowel until needed.
  10. When you’re ready to cook the pasta, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and drop the pasta sheets in for about 1 -2 minutes. Drain and lay flat until ready to use.

Tofu Ricotta

Tofu Ricotta

  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 2 packages Firm Tofu
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Thyme, dried leaves
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast Flakes, optional
  • 2 small sprig of Oregano, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried leaves
  • Cracked Pepper to taste
  • 8- 10 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  1. Rinse out the food processor after making the pasta.
  2. Process the garlic until it’s minced.
  3. Add the tofu to the food processor. Pulse to mash the tofu until it is small and evenly crumbled.
  4. Add the salt, thyme, onion powder, nutritional yeast, oregano and pepper.
  5. Drizzle over the olive oil making the mixture come and hold together when held or pressed with a fork.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  7. Put the tofu ricotta in a bowl in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Béchamel Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Butter or Butter Substitute
  • 6 tbsp All Purpose Flour
  • 4 cups Almond (or other) Milk
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cracked Pepper
  • Pinch or two of Nutmeg
  1. Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan and whisking in the flour. Whisk constantly as it thickens. It will start to brown and smell nutty.
  2. Slowly whisk in the milk.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper and nutmeg, stirring occasionally to incorporate and thicken the sauce.
  4. Adjust seasoning as necessary and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Sautéed Greens

Sautéed Greens

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1-2 Bunch Beet Greens, chopped (optional. The greens I use depend on what I have.)
  • 8-10 cups Baby Spinach leaves, rinsed
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium high.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and transparent.
  3. Add the greens a few handfuls at a time, tossing and cooking until tender, bright and wilted.
  4. Remove from heat and set aside.
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6 Responses to Vegan Beet Lasagne with Béchamel Sauce

  1. Kiki says:

    oh my goodness Annie, what a meal!!! what a treat.

  2. Shannon says:

    I am no vegan by any stretch of the imagination. That said—I want to come for dinner! This looks amazing. Especially the beet pasta. WOW!

  3. Bridie says:

    That pasta looks so pretty :)

    Looking forward to trying this recipe!

  4. Rebecca says:

    mmm, looks delicious and the colour of that pasta is just amazing!

  5. dawnsuzette says:

    This looks so good Annie. I just came across a vegie lasagne recipe today… I will try it and send it your way if it is as yummy as this looks!

  6. sarah says:

    those noodles are so gorgeous!!

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