The fragrant, flavorful sauce filled with diced tempeh meatballs along with freshly made macadamia nut “ricotta” give this dish that classic look, taste, and texture you expect in a lasagna. Be sure to plan ahead when making this recipe as the nuts in the Macadamia Nut Ricotta Cheese need to soak overnight.
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 Tempting Tempeh Meatballs (page 177), diced
½ cup diced onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 red pepper, roasted, skinned, seeded, and diced (or store-bought roasted peppers)
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons oregano
6 whole-wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
1½ cups Macadamia Nut Ricotta Cheese (recipe on next page)
8 cups fresh baby spinach, steamed, or a 9- to 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1½ cups nondairy shredded mozzarella cheese
Makes 6 servings.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, meatballs, onion, and salt. Cook until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the crushed tomatoes, red pepper, basil, and oregano. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and let the pasta sauce cook for 10 minutes.
3. Spread ½ cup of the pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of an 11 × 7-inch baking pan. Place 2 cooked lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce. Spread ½ cup of the Macadamia Nut Ricotta Cheese evenly over the noodles. Layer 1/3 of the spinach over the ricotta. Spread 1 cup of sauce evenly over the spinach, then evenly sprinkle ½ cup of the mozzarella over the sauce. Repeat the same sequence for 2 more layers.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Quick Tip: To roast a red pepper, begin by preheating your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and lay the pepper on its side on the foil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and, using a pair of tongs, turn the pepper over and then roast for an additional 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the skin should be charred and soft, and the pepper should look slightly collapsed. If not, let it roast for a few more minutes. When the pepper is done, let it cool completely before skinning and seeding it.
