Vegan lasagna can be divided into two categories: those that mimic traditional lasagna using vegan substitutes for meat and cheese, and those made from alternative vegan ingredients. Variations include using different types of noodles, meat substitutes, and cheese substitutes. Additional ingredients like eggplant, spinach, and mushrooms can also be added.
The different types of vegan lasagna can be divided into two basic categories. One type mimics traditional Italian lasagna using vegan ingredients that look and taste similar to those used in traditional lasagna. The other type is made from alternative vegan ingredients assembled in layers to form a lasagna-like dish. Within these two basic categories, there are many possible variations.
Traditional lasagna is a layered casserole consisting of wide, flat lasagna, cheese, ground beef, and tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and herbs. A vegan diet prohibits the consumption of animal products of any kind, so to make a vegan lasagna that mimics traditional lasagna, you need to use vegan substitutes for meat and cheese. It’s also important to ensure that the noodles and tomato sauce do not contain any animal products. Meat substitutes include meat-like soy protein products, wheat gluten, textured vegetable protein, or a variety of thinly sliced vegetables. Cheese substitutes include tofu, soy cheese, nutritional yeast, and a variety of commercially manufactured cheese-like products.
An alternative vegan lasagna is layered ingredients that don’t necessarily resemble those of a traditional lasagna but are assembled into a lasagna-like casserole dish. Alternatives to standard lasagna noodles can include buckwheat noodles, thinly sliced vegetables, potatoes, polenta, beans, grains, and peanuts. The same meat and cheese substitutes used in traditional lasagna may also be included.
Within the basic concept of lasagna, there are many variations. The types of meat used might include ground beef, ground lamb, pork sausage, and ground turkey. For vegan lasagna, there are many artificially textured meat substitutes that resemble these meats. A traditional lasagna recipe might call for different types of cheese, especially ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. For vegan lasagna, there are cheese substitutes that are artificially flavored and textured to look a lot like these types of cheese.
Traditional lasagna recipes often feature additional or alternative ingredients that also fit into the vegan diet. Eggplant, spinach, mushrooms and olives are popular additions to the layers of meat, cheese and noodles in a lasagna casserole. To make a vegan version, the meat and cheese can be omitted or substituted. For a variation of the sauce, the white béchamel sauce made with butter, flour and milk can be used instead of or in addition to the classic tomato sauce. For a vegan béchamel, you can instead use soy margarine or vegetable oil, flour and rice or soy milk.
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