14th March, 2019

I’ll be honest, I’m quite famous for my lasagne around these parts. Just ask my niece!

Since cutting meat out of our diet almost a year ago, sadly some of our favourite dishes just had to be cut out also, but I was determined for my lasagne to NOT be one of them.

This recipe was a “chuck it all in and hope for the best” type of recipe, and thankfully it turned out perfectly and was equally as delicious as its meaty brother.

You’ll need about 40 minutes to prepare and assemble, then an additional 45 minutes approximately to cook in oven.
You can also make it the day before and keep it refrigerated (uncooked). It’ll just need a little longer in the oven come cook time.
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
250gm Lasagne sheets
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Dried herbs
Salt and pepper

Veggie Sauce:
1 brown onion, chopped
2 cloves of crushed garlic
2 large carrots, grated
1 small (or 1 half of a large) sweet potato, grated
2 small zucchini, grated
200gm slices button mushrooms, chopped
800gm can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Handful of fresh basil leaves

Cheese Sauce:
60g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Nutmeg

METHOD:
– In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté garlic and onion.
– Pop in all the veggies and canned tomatoes with 1/3 cup of water and cook down.
– Add fresh basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
– Reduce heat and leave to simmer whilst you make your cheese sauce.

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– Melt butter in medium sized pot. Add flour and cook until golden and bubbling. Keep stirring for a minute.
– Add the milk a little at a time, stirring until smooth between each addition.
** Do not stop stirrrrrring! **
– Bring to the boil, still stirring and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes.
– Remove pot from heat and add the cheese, stirring (yet again) until all the cheese has melted.
– Add salt and pepper to taste and my secret is a sprinkle of nutmeg…!

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Grab your lasagne dish. I always start with the veggie sauce at the bottom as I think it works better, but you can put lasagne sheets at the bottom if you prefer.

Start your layers. Veggie sauce, cheese sauce and pasta sheets – until both sauces are used up. Finish with lasagne sheets. (Be sure to read my HOT tip below!)

Sprinkle with the grated cheese and parmesan cheese.
I also like to add dried herbs on top, super delicious!

Cover and bake for 45 minutes in 180ºC oven. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes uncovered for an all over golden glow!! 🙂

*Hot Tip*
Cheese sauce is always hard to handle and often ends up messy.
Rather than trying to smooth cheese sauce on top of the veggie sauce, instead I use a spatula and cover pasta sheets with the cheese sauce, then flip it over onto the veggies. Super simple and MUCH easier!

**Even Hotter Tip**
Cover the Lasagne dish with baking paper and then foil. Stops the foil from sticking!

This is a great alternative to the traditional meat version. Make it on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy on Monday night for meat free Monday.

Hope you like it! x