Lasagne is one of my favourite comfort dishes. It’s hearty, it’s flavourful, and it’s deliciously cheesy. And yes, it can be vegan.

I’ve called this an “easy” lasagne because I’ve cheated a little with bought pasta sauce and pesto. However, it’s certainly not a quick dish and it’s one that I recommend making in advance. Each separate element takes a little time but once done, it comes together easily ans the result is well-worth the effort.

Vegan Lasagne with Pesto & Roast Veg

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 small aubergines, cut into 1cm slices
50ml olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 large red peppers, quartered and de-seeded
2 medium courgettes, sliced lengthways
750g jar tomato-based pasta sauce
250g packet (eggless) lasagne sheets
50g baby pomodorino tomatoes, halved
250g vegan cheddar-style cheese
160g jar vegan pesto

White Sauce

80g non-dairy spread
1/3 cup plain flour
625ml non-dairy milk
40g grated vegan parmesan-style cheese

Method

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees Celsius. Brush 6cm deep rectangular oven dish with oil.

Place sliced eggplant in colander and sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand for 20 mins, then rinse under cool running water and drain on paper towel.

Brush aubergine with oil and place in single layer on two oven trays. Bake in medium-high oven for 40 minutes or until tender.Drain on paper towel.

Bake peppers and courgette for 20 minutes or until pepper skins blackened and courgettes tender. Drain courgettes on paper towel. Place peppers on plate and cover with cling film for 6 minutes. Remove film and peel off pepper skin. Cut pepper into thick strips.

Make white sauce*.

Spread a third of the pasta sauce over base of oven dish. Layer a third of the lasagna sheets, another third of sauce, half the aubergine and courgette, half the cheese and another third of the lasagna. Add remaining sauce, peppers, cheese, lasagna, then remaining aubergine and courgette as well as tomatoes.

Spread pesto over top layer of veg, then pour white sauce evenly over the dish.

Cover dish with foil and bake in hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for further 10-20 minutes until top browned.

Stand for five minutes, top with fresh basil and serve.

*White Sauce

Melt spread in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring until mix thickens and bubbles. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and boils. Add a teaspoon more flour if more thickening needed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Enjoy!