Vegan Lasagna with herbed macadamia ricotta

Last week I made the best lasagna I have EVER tasted!!! This lasagna was so scrumptious I can’ wait to make it again. I have tried many different brands of vegan cheese and I must say, making nut cheese is by far the best vegan alternative. The Luscious Lasagna By Allison Rivers Samson was featured in last months VegNews Magazine. Allison who is the owner of allisonsgourmet.com writes a column called Veganize It and all of her recipes are amazing. I posted a picture on my facebook page of the lasagna and I have had many request to post the recipe so here it is. ENJOY!!!!

12 Lasagna noodles

4 quarts boiling water

For the marinara sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

2 cups diced portabello mushrooms

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 28-ounce can chunky tomatoes

1 28-ounce can tomato puree

2 teaspoons salt

For the herbed macadamia ricotta:

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, soaked in water 4 hours or longer

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons minced fresh italian parsley

1 cup chiffonaded fresh basil leaves

1 cup coarsely chopped green or black olives

For the cashew cheese sauce:

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the garnish:

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pine nuts

1/4 cup minced fresh italian parsley

1. in a 9×12-inch baking dish, place noodles and cover with boiling water. Let sit about 15 to 25 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. For the marinara sauce, in large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and add onion. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary, and fennel, and reduce heat to low. Add tomatoes and puree, and cover loosely, simmering for 30 minutes. Add salt and cook another 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. for herbed macadamia ricotta, in a food processor, puree macadamia nuts, water, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and puree another minute, until light and fluffy. Transfer to a bowl and fold in parsley, basil, and olives.

4. For the cashew-cheese sauce, in a dry blender, grind cashews into a fine powder. Add water, lemon juice, salt, and rice vinegar. Process until completely smooth.

5. Lightly cover bottom of 9×12 inch baking dish with marinara to prevent noodles from sticking to dish. Arrange layer of noodles and top with quarter of the remaining marinara. Spread a third of the ricotta over noodles and then a third of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, sprinkle with pine nuts, and cover with foil. Place baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any drips in oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes until sauce bubbles. Cool for 15 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.