Few dishes are as comforting as a plate of layered, sauce-drenched noodles crowned with a nest of grated Parmesan. You know what we’re talking about: lasagna! And while this plate isn’t traditionally laden with the nutrient-dense goodness of avocado, we’ve got a few tricks for using this superfood to take your lasagna game to the next level.
Here’s what we love about this recipe: You get a decadent-tasting, nutrient-rich, béchamel-like sauce that’s avocado-based, vegan, and easy to prepare. By taking one ripe avocado and blending it with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, salt, and pepper, you get a base-sauce suited to replace tomato sauce.
In the meantime, roast a tray of sliced mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes that have been drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes at 425°F.
Start assembling your masterpiece by first spreading a layer of your avocado béchamel. On top of that, arrange your oven-ready lasagna sheets, then more béchamel, roasted veggies, and grated mozzarella. Continue layering until done, then cover with foil and bake. (If you’re serving vegan guests, opt for vegan cheese.)
If you’re about to attempt this (or any avo-based recipe) but realize that your avocado is not fully ripe, try putting it in direct sunlight — on a windowsill, kitchen counter, or wherever the sun shines brightest in your home. Warm temperatures help fruits ripen faster. Here are a few other tips to get your avocados to peak ripeness stat.
If you’d rather prep a full-on, multi-cheese lasagna, try combining your favorite Italian cheese blend with a large tub of ricotta, a large egg, salt, pepper, a minced garlic clove, Italian seasonings, and one ripe, mashed avocado. Feel free to add a handful or two of wilted spinach if you want more green in the mix. Mix well.
Whip up a batch of your favorite marinara or meat sauce and add a few ladles of sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. Top with oven-ready lasagna noodles and layer your cheese filling, more noodles, and sauce, repeating until done.
If you have a leftover avocado or avocado-half after your lasagna is complete, no problem. To preserve the avocado-half, coat it with lime juice or olive oil, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge. For an uncut avocado, just pop it in the fridge — it should stay fresh for the next five days.