This meatless version of the classic meat lasagna is full of rich, tomato-y, cheese goodness.  It’s so good, no one will miss the meat!

I have a weakness for pasta. When I was pregnant, I would send Lenny to the local Italian joint at least twice a week for takeout.  I still find myself with the occasional pasta craving that I can’t get rid of.

Since becoming a pescatarian in January, one of the things that I miss most is a good meat lasagna. Don’t get me wrong, vegetable lasagna is great. Love it.  Really. But there is something about the tomato-y, meaty, cheesy goodness of a classic meat lasagna that I have been craving.

So thank goodness for Beyond Meat.  I love their products. So when I was rethinking my classic lasagna recipe, I immediately reached for the Beyond Beef Plant-based ground. It has the taste and texture that goes well in every “meat” reimagined recipe I’ve tried. Yum.

I also believe that the perfect classic lasagna has to have some sausage in the meat mixture.  For this I used Upton’s Naturals Seitan crumbles, specifically the Chorizo flavor. It has a nice, mildly spicy flavor that lifts the recipe. If you don’t like the spice, they have an Italian flavor that is equally delish. 

One thing to note, with this particular combination of “meat” products, you don’t need to drain the fat once it’s browned. You can continue right along to the next step of the recipe.

When you are creating the sauce for the lasagna, don’t neglect the simmering time. You want to make sure that the flavors have had a chance to meld before assembling the lasagna.

I add red wine to my sauce because I like the richness it gives. If you don’t want to use the wine, feel free to just add a ½ cup more water to the sauce.  

Also, I really like Cento Double Concentrated Tomato Paste. It comes in a tube and has a rich, bright flavor. If you prefer, you can substitute a 6 oz. can of tomato paste.

Once you have assembled and baked, don’t forget to let your finished creation rest for 10-15 minutes.  This let’s everything settle so you get clean slices and avoid a sloppy mess.

Enjoy!

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Classic “Meat Lover’s” Lasagna

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Prep Time: 50 min      Cook Time: 1 hour 5 min      Total Time: 1 hour 55 min
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz pkg Beyond Beef Plant-based Ground
• 1 8 oz pkg Upton’s Naturals Chorizo Seitan
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 28 oz can ground tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 4.5 oz tube double concentrated tomato paste
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 24 oz mozzarella cheese, grated (can use more)
• 32 oz ricotta cheese 
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 16 oz box lasagna pasta (I used 15 noodles)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add chopped onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.
3. Add Beyond Beef Ground and Seitan and cook, stirring frequently, 5-6 minutes. 
4. Stir tomato paste into ground mixture and cook 1-2 minutes. Add red wine and simmer 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir in tomato sauce, water, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente, rinse and set aside.
8. Lightly spray a 14 x 11 1/2 x 2 1/4 baking dish (or two smaller size   baking dishes) with non stick spray then add a small amount of meat sauce mixture in the bottom of dish. Spread around.
9.  Add a layer of lasagna noodles (approximately 5, overlapping)
10. Next, spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese on top of pasta.
11. Spoon 1/3 meat sauce mixture on top of ricotta.
12. Sprinkle with 1/2 the Parmesan cheese.
13. Next add 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
14. Repeat with another layer of pasta, ricotta cheese, meat sauce mixture, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese.
15. Final layer is pasta, remaining meat sauce mixture and remaining cheese.
16. Cover with foil, cook for approximately 50-60 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
17. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!