Chef AJ’s Disappearing Lasagna is Naturally Plant-Based & Gluten-Free

If you’re a Chef AJ fan, I’m happy to announce that her Unprocessed 10th Anniversary Edition has been released. This updated cookbook includes more than 135 new and improved recipes that are not only plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan, but also gluten-free and oil-free. To entice, we’re featuring a sample recipe from it for Chef AJ’s Gluten-Free Vegan Lasagna, otherwise known as “Disappearing Lasagna.”

This Gluten-Free Vegan Lasagna is so Magical, it Disappears Before Your Eyes

Chef AJ has shared her inspiring journey to both weight loss and wellness for more than a decade. Along the way, she has gained millions of followers who crave her nutrient-dense, plant-based recipes, like this gluten-free vegan lasagna. But before you jump into that recipe, we do have a few extra notes and options to share with you.

Faux Parmesan Options

Chef AJ includes her own recipe for this in the Unprocessed 10th Anniversary Edition. I’ve linked up to our oil-free dairy-free parmesan recipe, which produces similar delicious results. But I haven’t included it in the nutrition facts. If you aren’t concerned about oil-free, then you can buy a store-made brand like Follow Your Heart, Violife, Daiya, or Trader Joe’s.

Noodle Options

Surprisingly, there is a handful of no boil gluten-free lasagna noodle brands, but it is hard to find brown rice ones specifically, and some brands do contain egg (all that we’ve seen are dairy free). Barilla Gluten Free is a popular brand made with corn and rice. In a pinch, you can parboil your favorite gluten free brown rice lasagna noodles, but handle them carefully as they are more prone to breakage than wheat noodles. Of course, you can use traditional wheat-based no boil noodles, if gluten-free isn’t a concern for you.

For grain-free, we’ve linked up to Natural Heaven Hearts of Palm Lasagna Noodles because they have no added sodium (low sodium is one of Chef AJ’s goals!). But Palmini and Whole Foods Brand are a little less expensive, if you don’t mind the added salt. Using hearts of palm noodles will dramatically reduce the carbohydrates and calories in this recipe.

Photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Special Diet Notes: Chef AJ’s Gluten-Free Vegan Lasagna

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, optionally grain-free, optionally nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, plant-based, oil-free, and vegetarian. Be sure to select the marinara, miso, tamari or soy sauce alternative, and noodles that meet your dietary needs.

Chef AJ

Chef AJ’s Gluten-Free Vegan Lasagna (Plant-Based)

5 from 2 votes

People always ask me how well this freezes. I honestly don’t know as there have never been any leftovers!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 32 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 643

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 6 cups marinara sauce (AJ uses an oil-free variety)
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup pine nuts, raw cashews, or hemp seeds
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• ¼ cup low-sodium miso
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ounces fresh basil leaves
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more as desired
• 2 pounds frozen chopped spinach or 1 pound frozen kale defrosted, drained, and squeezed to remove all the liquid
• 1 large red onion minced
• 2 pounds sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
• ¼ cup low-sodium tamari (gluten-free, if needed)
• 2 cloves garlic plus more as desired
• 1 4-ounce can sliced olives, drained and rinsed (optional)
• Dairy-free parmesan alternative (see post above for more options)
• 2 boxes no-boil lasagna noodles (gluten-free brown rice noodles, if needed)

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. To make the filling, put the beans, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, miso, lemon juice, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade and process until smooth. Add the spinach or kale and process until well incorporated.
3. In a large nonstick sauté pan, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of water until translucent, about 8 minutes, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms, tamari, and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are browned. Taste and add more garlic or tamari as desired. Cook until the mushrooms look glazed and there is no more liquid left in the pan.
4. To assemble the lasagna, pour 3 cups of the marinara sauce into a lasagna pan or 9x13-inch pan. Place one layer of the noodles on top of the sauce. Cover the noodles with half of the bean mixture, then cover the bean mixture with half of the mushroom mixture. Place another layer of noodles over the mushroom mixture and top with the remaining bean mixture followed by the remaining mushroom mixture. Place one more layer of noodles on top of the mushroom mixture and evenly cover with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle the olives over the top and dust liberally with Faux Parmesan.
5. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 squareCalories: 643kcalCarbohydrates: 102.1gProtein: 23.5gFat: 17.7gSaturated Fat: 2.9gFiber: 15.4gSugar: 20.5g

Notes

Marinated Mushroom Option: If you have time, marinate the sliced mushrooms in the tamari several hours in advance or even the night before. Make sure the top layer of noodles is fully covered with sauce.
Lower Sodium Option: If you are avoiding all sodium, omit the miso and use California Balsamic Gilroy Garlic vinegar in place of the tamari.
Grain-Free Option: You can also use lasagna noodles made from hearts of palm. These are available online and at many natural food stores.

This recipe is reprinted with permissions from Unprocessed 10th Anniversary Edition by Chef AJ.

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