Lorraine’s Dairy-Free Lasagna


I began making a simple homemade lasagna in the 1970s. My recipe was pretty basic, but always very popular. I stopped eating dairy in the mid 1990s due to allergies. After 10 years without lasagna, I developed this recipe by substituting ingredients while sticking close to my original lasagna recipe. This recipe is good for those allergic to dairy products and is much lighter than traditional lasagna, but tastes exactly like the real thing. You will not be able to tell the difference. (It contains no cow products)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg lasagna noodles

1 lb (or pkg) ground turkey – I use the type labeled “Lean” rather than breast only

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce – I use “Roasted Garlic”

1 tsp (or to taste) chopped garlic from a jar (or fresh chopped garlic)

1 c sliced mushrooms

1 sm cooked, grilled or roasted zucchini that has been diced (optional)

2 pkgs (5-6 oz) of “Chevre” goat cheese – very soft & creamy, light tasting is best

1 (or 2 if needed) eggs beaten

2 pkgs dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese made from almonds, brown rice or soy (not tofu)
Note: My favorite is mozzarella made from almonds, but cheese made from brown rice or some soy types works well also. Be sure to select a product that has the most similar color, texture and look to real mozzarella (Don’t choose the ones that look like tofu)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook noodles as directed on package.

Sauce: Brown ground turkey and then add turkey, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic to spaghetti sauce in pan and heat to blend flavors.

Cheese: Grate the dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese. Blend softened goat cheese and eggs until smooth (this takes some patience). Add about 1/4 of the grated mozzarella to the goat cheese mixture and blend well.

Assemble: Cover bottom of 13”x 9” rectangular pan with layer of noodles overlapping to cover completely. Spread about 1/2 of the goat cheese mixture over noodles. Top with about 1/4 of the grated mozzarella. Follow with 1/2 of the sauce. Then repeat layers: noodles, goat cheese, mozzarella, ending with sauce. Finish with the remaining mozzarella on top of completed lasagna. (Can be made with more layers if desired, but I think less layers = less noodles is better.)

Bake: for 30-40 min at 350 degrees or until bubbly. Serve immediately or let stand until more firm.

Enjoy!