- Prep-time: / Ready In:
- Makes one 3-quart casserole
- Serving size: 1/10 of recipe
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Pastitsio is the Greek answer to lasagna and typically features ground meat and a bechamel sauce. In this vegan pastitsio, whole grain penne is layered with cinnamon- and nutmeg-laced lentils and a creamy potato-based “cheese” sauce. You can make the sauce in advance and refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for up to a month. It will thicken as it cools, so you may need to thin it with more milk to get a thick yet pourable consistency. Serve this scrumptious casserole with a side salad for a hearty, family-friendly meal that’s perfect for when comfort food is the order of the day.
For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:
Ingredients
- 2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3¾ cups unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 3 15-oz. cans lentils, rinsed and drained (4½ cups)
- 1 28-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 lb. dry whole grain penne or rigatoni
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. For cheese sauce, place potato cubes in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Uncover and cool slightly. Transfer one-third of the potatoes to a bowl.
- Place the remaining potatoes in a blender. Add 1¾ cups of the milk, ¼ cup of the nutritional yeast, the vinegar, and two of the minced garlic cloves. Cover and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining potatoes and pulse until slightly chunky.
- In a large saucepan cook onion, the remaining garlic, and ¼ cup water over medium 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the next five ingredients (through nutmeg) and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 10 minutes or until liquid is cooked off. Season with salt.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, undercooking it by 2 minutes. Transfer cooked pasta to a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining 2 cups milk, the remaining ½ cup nutritional yeast, and the rice flour until smooth; pour over pasta. Stir in cheese sauce until combined.
- Spread half of the pasta mixture in a 3-quart baking dish. Spread lentil mixture over pasta, then top with the remaining pasta mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley (if using).
Per serving (1/10 of recipe): 472 calories, 93 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 2.6 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 36 mg sodium, 16 g fiber, 23 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
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