Don't get me wrong, I love lasagna with real noodles but sometimes I want something a little healthier and that's why I came up with this simple zucchini lasagna. It has all the saucy & "cheesy" goodness of regular lasagna with a lighter feel. Also, I do like to make my own sauce but I had a busy day in NYC so it just wasn't happening today and a jar of sauce it is! When I'm using jarred sauce I prefer to use either 365 Everyday Value Pasta Sauce or Engine 2 Plant Strong Pasta Sauce both exclusively from Whole Foods because they're lower in sugar and sodium compared to other sauces.
The cashew ricotta is super easy to make, you just need to remember to soak your cashews! I like to do it overnight but if you forget or are short on time you can soak them in hot water for about an hour. I also made a quick almond parmesan to go with this because I like to cover the top with something but you can skip it and just use some nutritional yeast or breadcrumbs if you don't have time to make it! Once the cheeses are prepped you just need to slice up your zucchini, stack everything, and go! I think it's a warm comforting meal, perfect for a rainy day like today!
Simple Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients:
1-2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup almonds
4 tbs nutritional yeast, divided
2 cups cashews, soaked in water overnight
2 cloves garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
ground black pepper and Himalayan pink salt to taste
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. If you plan to use the almond parmesan, combine almonds and nutritional yeast in food processor until desired texture. Remove from food processor and set aside.
3. Combine cashews, garlic, lemon, and salt & pepper in food processor until you achieve a ricotta-like consistency. Mix in chopped basil with a spoon.
4. Pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish and add one layer of zucchini. Spread enough cashew ricotta to cover. Add a little more sauce then another layer of zucchini. Continue until you use all the cashew ricotta.
5. On the top layer of zucchini, cover with sauce, then almond parmesan and red pepper flakes.
6. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley or fresh basil if desired and enjoy!