Dairy-Free Lasagna (with Meat Sauce!)

You'll be AMAZED at how well this dairy-free lasagna turns out! Thanks to magic cashew sauce, this lasagna is just as creamy and comforting as the classic version you grew up with!This is a dairy-free, but NOT vegan lasagna recipe! It has a rich and flavorful meat sauce layered with the creamy dairy-free white sauce. It also like to make it with gluten-free noodles!

📝 Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoons salt or to taste
• 9-10 ounces lasagna noodles (I recommend Cappello's lasagna sheets (they're gluten-free!) see note)
• 1 cup raw (unsalted cashews)
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch ( or arrowroot powder)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the Meat Sauce: ---
2. 2In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add in the ground beef. Break the meat apart as it browns. Once meat has browned completely, pour off any excess fat/grease.
3. 3Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, dried basil, sugar, Italian Seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. 4Cook the sauce for at least 45 minutes, until the flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir often and know you may have to add a little extra water as it reduces down to prevent scorching.
5. 5--- Make the Creamy Sauce: ---
6. 6Place the raw cashews in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with water and microwave for 3 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes. (This will soften the cashews so they blend up nice and smooth.)
7. 7Drain the cashews and place in a high-speed blender. Add 1 cup of fresh water along with the olive oil, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Add the eggs and blend until smooth. (The sauce will look very liquidy and runny but will set up in the oven.)
8. 8--- Assemble the Dairy-Free Lasagna: ---
9. 9Preheat the oven to 350F.
10. 10Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Layer the rest of the lasagna as follows:
11. 11- ⅓ of the noodles- ⅓ of the meat sauce- ⅓ of the creamy sauce (pour it over)- ⅓ of the noodles- ⅓ of the meat sauce- ⅓ of the creamy sauce- ⅓ of the noodles- ⅓ of the meat sauce- ⅓ of the creamy sauce (swirl it around for the top layer)
12. 12Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes (uncovered) until the creamy sauce is set.
13. 13Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!
14. 14Leftovers reheat great the next day!