Description
This Vegan Pastitsio is a delicious Greek-inspired casserole featuring tubular pasta layered with a savory lentil and vegetable filling, topped with a creamy vegan béchamel sauce. Perfect as a hearty, plant-based comfort food, this recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free adaptable, and packed with flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and oregano.
Ingredients
Scale
For the pasta layer:
- 12 oz tubular pasta (like penne or ziti)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt for boiling water
For the lentil filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown or green lentils
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the béchamel:
- 1/4 cup olive oil or vegan butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (like oat or soy)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain well and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare lentil filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5–7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in cooked lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer the mixture for 10–15 minutes until thickened and flavors meld.
- Make the béchamel sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil or vegan butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the plant-based milk, continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the pastitsio: Spread half of the cooked pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer the lentil filling over the pasta. Top with the remaining pasta layer. Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top and smooth the surface.
- Bake and serve: Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes until the béchamel is golden and bubbly. Allow the pastitsio to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving to let it set for easier cutting.
Notes
- For added depth of flavor, add a splash of white wine to the lentil mixture while it simmers.
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
