Deconstructed Veggie Lasagna: Easy Vegan Dinner for One (or Two)

I’m constantly halving recipes to avoid excessive leftovers in our two-person household. So it was nice to learn about Vegan for One: Hot Tips and Inspired Recipes for Cooking Solo by Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ellen Jaffe Jones. Their recipes actually work well for singles and couples, since most make two servings. This deconstructed veggie lasagna recipe is a great sample recipe. It shows the everyday ease, nutrition, and style of this simple cookbook.

The chapters in Vegan for One include Dressings, Salads, and Slaws; Soups; Wraps and Sandwiches; Side Dishes; Main Dishes; Cookies, Bars, and Sweet Treats; and Baked Goods and Desserts. Below is a selection of the recipes that piqued my interest.

• Spiced Apple-Walnut Roll-Up
• Tex-Mex Breakfast Burritos
• Dark Chocolate Sauce
• Savory Onion Gravy
• Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Chickpea Croutons
• Miso Noodle Soup
• Mexicali Corn Quesadillas
• Smoky-Bacon Brussels Sprouts
• Caribbean Black Beans with Mango Salsa
• California Vegetables au Gratin
• Tuscan Tempeh with Onion and Bell Pepper
• Caramel-Almond Blondies
• Fruit Galette for One

And of course, this wonderful deconstructed veggie lasagna is impossible to resist. It’s a plant-based pasta with a hint of convenience and loads of nutrition.

This cookbook does include many gluten-free recipes, but many of the recipes do use wheat. I added a gluten-free pasta option to the deconstructed veggie lasagna recipe below.

Special Diet Notes: Deconstructed Veggie Lasagna

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Deconstructed Veggie Lasagna

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

At first glance this recipe may seem a bit complicated, but it’s actually easy enough for even a novice cook to pull off. This enticing dish has all the flavors of layered lasagna but with far less hassle. Both the vegetable and tofu ricotta mixtures can be made while the pasta is cooking.

Author: Ellen Jaffe Jones and Beverly Lynn Bennett

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• Pinch sea salt (optional) + additional to taste
• 4 ounces pasta (such as penne, rotini, or ziti; optionally gluten free)
• 1 cup frozen California mixed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower) or other frozen mixed vegetables
• ¼ cup diced red or yellow onion
• ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or ½ teaspoon dried basil + ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¾ cup dairy-free marinara sauce
• ¼ cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese shreds
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. To cook the pasta, fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with water. Add the optional salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the package instructions or until tender. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the saucepan.
3. While the pasta is cooking, make the vegetable mixture. Put the frozen vegetables, onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. While the vegetable mixture is cooking, make the tofu ricotta. Put the tofu, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the reserved pasta water and mash with a fork to combine.
5. Add the tofu mixture to the cooked pasta and stir until well incorporated.
6. Add the pasta mixture to the vegetable mixture in the skillet and stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce and cheese and stir until evenly distributed.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
8. Stored in an airtight container; the extra serving of deconstructed lasagna will keep for
9. days in the refrigerator. Warm in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat before serving.

Notes

This recipe is reprinted with permissions from Vegan for One: Hot Tips and Inspired Recipes for Cooking Solo by Ellen Jaffe Jones and Beverly Lynn Bennett.

3.5.3229

Key Pantry Ingredients: Deconstructed Veggie Lasagna

More Recipes by Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett

Tropical Fruit Parfaits with Vanilla Nut Whip (vegan, gluten-free & soy-free)

Shredded Vegetable & Kale Pancakes (vegan, gluten-free & allergy-friendly)

Chocolate Lover’s Cupcakes (vegan, gluten-free & soy-free)

Want More Recipes? Enjoy my Cookbook Eat Dairy Free!