Description
This Springtime White Lasagna is a light, creamy, and wholesome dish, perfect for spring! Filled with roasted garlic, fresh leeks, asparagus, spinach, and a rich cashew-based creamy sauce, this vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free lasagna is a comforting yet fresh meal. The bright flavors of spring vegetables shine through, making it an ideal dish for a special occasion or a healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
1 whole head of garlic (reserve 2–3 cloves)
1 cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked for 2–3 hours)
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low-sodium)
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Black peppercorn (to taste)
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2–3 cloves garlic (from the reserved garlic)
2–3 leeks (adjust based on leek size)
2 bunches (~600g) asparagus
1 box (283g) baby spinach
1 box (~280g) no-boil lasagna sheets (gluten-free or regular)
Avocado oil (or other high-heat oil for sautéing)
Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Soak the Cashews: Soak the cashews in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours, or overnight if preferred. After soaking, drain and set aside.
- Roast the Garlic: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Cut off the tip of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves, sprinkle with salt, and wrap it in foil. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until soft and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Mince the 2-3 cloves of garlic that were reserved. Trim the leeks, removing the dark green parts (save them for stock) and keeping the white and pale green parts. Cut in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, and slice crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and chop the stalks into 1-1.5” pieces. For garnish, you may leave 3 whole asparagus stalks. Cut the thicker asparagus stalks lengthwise in half.
- Make the Roasted Garlic Sauce: Once the roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and place them in a blender. Add the soaked cashews, vegetable broth, almond milk, arrowroot starch, nutritional yeast (if using), salt, black pepper, and thyme sprigs. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized pot and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed with more salt or pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the Vegetables for the Lasagna: Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of kosher salt, sautéing for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. In a separate pan, sauté the spinach until just wilted (you may need to do this in two batches). Once wilted, squeeze out any excess water and set aside.
- Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a lasagna pan, start by spreading ½ cup of the roasted garlic sauce at the bottom. Place a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles on top. Alternate layers of sauce, sautéed leeks, wilted spinach, raw asparagus pieces, and noodles until all ingredients are used up. If you reserved any whole asparagus stalks, place them on top as a garnish. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle the lasagna with a small amount of extra nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese if desired.
- Bake the Lasagna: Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil (sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking) and bake for 30-35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 8-10 minutes, until the top is slightly golden and bubbly. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
This dish is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary needs.
If you prefer a nut-free option, substitute cashews with silken tofu or sunflower seeds.
You can add more vegetables such as roasted zucchini, eggplant, or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
