Description
This Springtime White Lasagna is a vibrant, wholesome dish featuring a creamy roasted garlic and cashew sauce layered with tender leeks, fresh asparagus, and baby spinach. Perfectly assembled with no-boil lasagna sheets and baked to golden bubbly perfection, it highlights seasonal spring vegetables in a comforting, dairy-free, and gluten-free friendly meal suitable for six servings.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Garlic Sauce
- 1 whole head of garlic (reserve 2-3 cloves)
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked for 2-3 hours)
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- Black peppercorn (to taste)
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2-3 cloves garlic (from the reserved garlic)
Vegetables and Layers
- 2-3 leeks (adjust based on leek size)
- 2 bunches (~600g) asparagus
- 1 box (283g) baby spinach
- 1 box (~280g) no-boil lasagna sheets (gluten-free or regular)
For Sautéing and Garnishing
- Avocado oil (or other high-heat oil for sautéing)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Soak the Cashews: Soak the cashews in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours, or overnight if preferred. After soaking, drain and set aside.
- Roast the Garlic: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Cut off the tip of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves, sprinkle with salt, and wrap it in foil. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until soft and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Mince the 2-3 cloves of garlic that were reserved. Trim the leeks, removing the dark green parts (save them for stock) and keeping the white and pale green parts. Cut in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, and slice crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and chop the stalks into 1-1.5 inch pieces. For garnish, leave 3 whole asparagus stalks. Cut the thicker asparagus stalks lengthwise in half.
- Make the Roasted Garlic Sauce: Once the roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and place them in a blender. Add the soaked cashews, vegetable broth, almond milk, arrowroot starch, nutritional yeast (if using), salt, black pepper, and thyme sprigs. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized pot and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed with more salt or pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the Vegetables for the Lasagna: Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of kosher salt, sautéing for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. In a separate pan, sauté the spinach until just wilted, possibly in two batches. Once wilted, squeeze out excess water and set aside.
- Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a lasagna pan, spread ½ cup of the roasted garlic sauce at the bottom. Place a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles on top. Alternate layers of sauce, sautéed leeks, wilted spinach, raw asparagus pieces, and noodles until all ingredients are used. Place reserved whole asparagus stalks on top as garnish. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with extra nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese if desired.
- Bake the Lasagna: Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 8-10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Soaking cashews overnight can make the sauce creamier and faster to blend.
- If you prefer, use gluten-free no-boil noodles to make the dish gluten-free.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to taste especially after simmering the sauce.
- Leftover roasted garlic sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a cheesier flavor, feel free to add more nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese on top.
- Ensure to squeeze excess water from spinach to prevent the lasagna from becoming watery.
