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Recipe Moussaka-inspired Eggplant Lasagne

Healthy choice

Mostly whole foods

Gluten-free option

Soy-free option

Refined sugar free

Easy peasy

Comfort food

Entertaining

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Moussaka lasagna
Moussaka lasagna

This is an absolute show-stopper worthy of your next dinner gathering. The layers of thinly sliced veggies and walnut-infused tomato sauce are a Mediterranean dream, but the cheesy cashew sauce is really the cherry on top!

You will need

Serves 6

  • 8 large lasagne sheets (gluten-free if needed)
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 2 medium eggplant

Tomato walnut sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 brown onions, peeled and finely diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 cup walnuts, very finely chopped*
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 750ml jar passata
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
  • 1 x 400g can crushed tomatoes

Cashew cheese sauce

  • 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/3 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon white miso (optional)

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Directions

10 mins to prep

35 mins to cook

2 hours to bake

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 180 C, fan forced.

  2. Step 2

    To make the tomato walnut sauce: Heat a medium pot on the stove. Once hot, add olive oil and warm for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low. Add onion and salt, sauté for 5 minutes, then add carrot and walnuts and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

  3. Step 3

    Add garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding all the remaining sauce ingredients. Place the lid on the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce is well cooked and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

  4. Step 4

    While your sauce cooks, prepare the veggies by thinly slicing the zucchini and eggplant longways, into slices around 1cm thick. Lightly salt and set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Rinse your salted veggies, then use a paper towel or clean tea towel to pat dry.

  6. Step 6

    Drizzle two baking trays with olive oil, then lay down the veggies on each, taking care to lay them side by side and not overlap.

  7. Step 7

    Place in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, however you must watch them and ensure they don’t burn. It’s best to check them regularly. Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside

  8. Step 8

    While the veggies bake and your sauce simmers, move onto making the ‘cheese’ sauce. For cashew sauce, drain cashews and add to a high speed blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth. Set aside.

  9. Step 9

    Now is the time to assemble your lasagne. Increase the oven temperature to 200℃.

  10. Step 10

    Using a large, deep baking dish, begin by adding about 1/3 of the tomato walnut sauce into the bottom. Spread around evenly. Now add 1/2 of the baked eggplant and zucchini, overlapping and distributing evenly. Next, add enough lasagne sheets to completely cover the veggies.

  11. Step 11

    Repeat the same step, then add the final 1/3 of the tomato walnut sauce onto the pasta sheets and spread to cover. Finally, add the cashew cheese sauce in dollops (it will be quite thick) and spread it around as best you can.

  12. Step 12

    Cover the top of the dish with two sheets of tinfoil (or a lid) and bake for 40 minutes in preheated oven at 200℃.

  13. Step 13

    After this time remove the foil/lid and bake a further 10–20 minutes. Once you see sauce bubbling up through the top of the lasagne take a skewer and test if the pasta is tender.

  14. Step 14

    Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil. Enjoy!

Hot tip!

*The finer the walnuts, the better. They should be no larger than the size of dried lentils.

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