Note: The photo depicts the lasagna from Cadence; this version features hummus rather than vegan Bolognese. Photo by Eric Medsker
Lasagna is a staple in many Black and Southern households. Chef Shenarri Freeman grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and her mother used to make lasagna often to feed her family easily, with plenty of leftovers throughout the week. When Freeman became vegan in 2017, lasagna was one of the first dishes she worked on turning into a plant-based dish. She landed on the perfect version when she decided to use hummus instead of tofu. At her restaurant Cadence in New York City she makes a deep-fried lasagna with vegan Bolognese—where it's one of the most popular items on the menu—but this version is forever her favorite to make at home.
Vegan Lasagna with Hummus
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Grapeseed oil
16 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon minced parsley
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 ounces hummus
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
3 cups watercress (or spinach)
Lasagna noodles
8 ounces vegan cheddar cheese, shredded (Follow Your Heart brand or other)
8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded (Follow Your Heart brand or other)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Boil a pot of water for pasta, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once water is boiling, cook pasta noodles according to the package and drain well.
In a medium-sized pan over medium heat, heat 1½ tablespoons of oil. Add in mushrooms, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add garlic powder, parsley, onion powder, and salt. Add in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add lemon juice, hummus, nutritional yeast, and watercress or spinach. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish, begin to assemble dish. Add a layer of a third the mushroom tomato sauce, a quarter the vegan cheeses, a third the hummus mixture, four lasagna noodles, and repeat two more times. The top layer should be finished off with the remaining cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until cheese bubbles.