Main Courses, Recipes, Vegan

Spicy Zucchini Arrabiata Lasagna

by Lisa Dawn

Need a last minute festive idea for Christmas dinner? Lasagna! Need a last minute Christmas gift? My book! Read on for the recipe for this amazing red and green pan full of deliciousness. Click here to find out how to preorder my book! 

Lasagna. It is such a fantastic centerpiece for a big gathering. It takes a little time to make because you have to make the sauce (unless you really want to take a shortcut and buy some) but once you put it all together, you will be able to enjoy your company while the lasagna is in the oven. I like to serve my lasagna with a big salad bar and some garlic bread. Any sides will work. No matter what you serve it with, enjoy and happy holidays!

Notes:

  • I based this lasagna on the recipe for lasagna in my book. Lasagna is basically a technique – layers of noodles, sauce, cheese, noodles, sauce, cheese. You get the idea. 
  • The arrabiata sauce is a spicy version of my All Purpose Red Sauce recipe from my book. This can be made well ahead of time.
  • And, I have a recipe for homemade ricotta in the book. I am not going to divulge that here. You will have to buy the book for that but Kite Hill makes a delicious almond ricotta cheese that is just as delicious!
  • I call for cashew milk in the recipe to thin out and cream up the ricotta. You can make your own or use store bought unsweetened plant milk.

Print

Spicy Zucchini Arrabiata Lasagna

Layers of spicy sauce, creamy almond ricotta, and spicy arrabiata sauce! The perfect holiday meal.

Ingredients

Spicy Arriabata Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 4.5-ounce tube tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup filtered water

Lasagna

  • 1 package lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup vegan ricotta
  • 1/2 cup cashew milk
  • 1 big zucchini, thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • 6 vine ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. To make the sauce, heat a heavy bottomed pot on low heat. Add the olive oil. When it is shimmering, add the garlic. Stir around to coat the garlic in the oil. Cook until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 3 or 4 minutes. Be sure to watch it, as garlic can burn quickly!

  2. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir around. Add the tomato paste and use a wooden spoon to mix it into the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir it around, cooking it for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the salt and stir around.

  3. Add the can of tomatoes to the pot. Add the water to the can and swirl it around so that you get the rest of whatever is left in the can. Pour it into the pot and stir around. Bring up to a nice simmer and cook uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.

  4. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.

  5. In the meantime, boil the lasagna noodles according to the package. When they are finished cooking, drain and run them under cold water.

  6. Prepare the ricotta by mixing the plant milk into the ricotta and whipping it all together. Set aside.

  7. Prepare the breadcrumbs by mixing the breadcrumbs and oil together in a small bowl. Set aside.

  8. To assemble the lasagna, preheat the oven to 350 and place a baking dish on a baking sheet. Spread some sauce on the bottom of your big baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, 3 or 4 depending on the size of your dish. Spread the ricotta over the noodles. Add a layer of zucchini. Top with some sauce. Add another layer of noodles, cheese, zucchini and sauce. Keep going until you run out of noodles, and they are the top layer.

  9. Spread sauce over the top layer of noodles. Lay the tomato slices over the sauce. Top with any extra dollops of ricotta and sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.

  10. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Let the lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes to settle before cutting into it. Serve and enjoy!

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