Vegan Pastitsio

Vegan Pastitsio is a hearty Greek dish made with layers of pasta, rich lentil filling, and a creamy cashew béchamel sauce. This comforting meal is perfect for sharing and bursting with Mediterranean flavors.

Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni - 200 grams
• Green lentils - 150 grams
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• Carrot - 1 medium, diced
• Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
• Canned diced tomatoes - 400 grams
• Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
• Dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cashews - 100 grams, soaked for 4 hours
• Nutritional yeast - 3 tablespoons
• Plant-based milk - 200 ml
• Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
• Nutmeg - a pinch

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté until translucent.
4. Add diced carrot and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir in the green lentils, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender.
6. While the lentil mixture is cooking, prepare the béchamel sauce. Drain the soaked cashews and blend them with plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and nutmeg until smooth and creamy.
7. In a baking dish, layer half of the cooked macaroni, followed by the lentil mixture, then the other half of the macaroni on top.
8. Spread the cashew béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer of macaroni.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
10. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 550
• Protein: 20 g
• Carbs: 75 g
• Fiber: 15 g
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 400 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Total Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Water: 0.5 L

Health Benefits

• High in plant-based protein from lentils and cashews.
• Rich in fiber, promoting digestive health.

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