Zucchini is a go-to meal option for dinners in our house. We usually make zoodles with ‘em, but I recently made a zucchini lasagna with cashew cheese that tasted so rich and decadent that we couldn’t believe we weren’t eating pasta noodles and ricotta cheese!
This recipe is an easy one to add to your rotation of meal ideas. It truly is one that the whole family will enjoy, plus it makes a lot so you’ll have leftovers for the next day. I also enjoy that it’s a comparable dairy-free alternative that offers all of the taste and flavor of traditional lasagna without that heavy, sluggish feeling that can sometimes come after eating a meal like this.
INGREDIENTS: (Makes 6-8 servings)
6 Zucchini, (I was able to cut each into 4-6 strips depending on size)
2 25-oz jars of favorite pasta sauce
1 lb. lean ground turkey, (or whatever meat preferred — if using ground beef or another meat that produces a lot of fat when cooked, remember to drain)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning, (I use Chef’s Shake)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
CASHEW CHEESE
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup regular almond or cashew milk, (I used cashew)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Ground pepper, season to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak your cashews in water first thing that morning and leave until you’re ready to make your lasagna that evening. (If making lasagna earlier, soak cashews overnight.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Cook chopped onion and minced garlic in skillet with olive oil until golden.
4. Add ground turkey, multi-purpose seasoning, sweet paprika, and start to brown meat.
5. Cook meat halfway through, then add two jars of sauce, dried basil and oregano. Simmer for five minutes then turn off heat.
6. Wash, cut off ends of your zucchini and slice into strips.
7. Drain water from cashews and add to food processor (or blender) with milk, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Pulse until takes on consistency of ricotta cheese.
8. Lay a thin layer of sauce in baking pan (I used an 11×7 inch).
9. Cover sauce completely with zucchini strips. Then add meat sauce and spread half the cashew cheese over it.
10. Add another layer of zucchini strips, followed by the remaining meat sauce and cashew cheese.
11. Bake at 350 for 80 to 90 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when sauce and cheese start to bubble. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply