Rustic Bread Lasagna
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I finally did it. After eighty-two years of saying I would, I skitched myself on over to the bookstore and bought a copy of Vegan YumYum. Guys, that cookbook is off the hizzy. For rizzy.
I don’t care if you’ve never liked a vegan thing in your life. I don’t care if your husband and kids swear they will never touch a vegan meal. Everything in that cookbook is something you will make. This recipe? Well, it’s not in the cookbook. It’s from the VeganYumYum website. Though there are a katrillion recipes from the book that will be made in my kitchen this year, I couldn’t get this recipe out of my mind once I’d discovered it.
This recipe is insane fab because it doesn’t use pasta. It uses….bread. Sourdough bread.
Stop right there. Pick your heart up off the ground.
I know, rigggght?
It calls for eggplant, too. You’re get to roast it. We did. My kids didn’t even care that there was eggplant in the meal. They ate all of it. The entire casserole pan vanished over a silent 40-minute meal wherein not a single one could stop shoveling mad amounts of eggplant, spinach, and other such vegan goodness right into their bocas. This is where it’s at, people.
Right here. In your face.
I used Muir Glen tomatoes for no other reason than I hope to swim in them four times a week and twice on Mondays. Pay the extra dollar or two. Never go back to anything but Muir Glen.
I’m serious.
I will check up with you on this one. It’s vital to your tomato passion.
Okay, so here’s where things get good.
Remember how we’re eating according to Michael Pollan’s Food Rules this year? Right.
So, this meal is gorgie perfect because it snaps right on top of not just one, but TWO Food Rules. For starters, we’re horking down veggies and nary a meat. Hello healthy.
Secondly, this recipe follows the “eat plants, mostly leaves” rule because we added a full two pounds of garlic-sauteed spinach to the original recipe.
And
oh
myyyy
gaaawwwsssshhh.
The kids ate all of that spinach right along with their eggplants.
And really, it’s no wonder. Because by the time this gorgeous recipe came out of the oven, the whole house smelled like Italy. And unicorns.
Like I said, off the hizzy. Right dang off the unicorn hizzy.
Vegan Rustic Bread, Eggplant & Spinach Lasagna
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Plan about 2 hours to prep and bake this meal, though you won't have to be slaving all over the kitchen for the entire two hours. Though there are a few steps to this recipe, none of them are difficult, and the ingredient list is so simple, you'll surprise yourself with how easy this beautiful recipe is to prepare.
Ingredients:
5 Tbs olive oil + 1/4 cup for drizzling
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28-oz) cans Muir Glen Crushed Tomatoes with Basil, blended
2 tsp salt
4 tsp Italian Herb mix
2 eggplants, sliced to 1/2" thick
2 pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped
12 slices of day-old rustic sourdough bread
Olive oil nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 large tomatoes, sliced very thin
1/4 balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup fresh basil, choppedDirections:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to medium then toss in about one-fourth of the garlic cloves. Cook for 2-3 minutes in the hot oil, stirring constantly to keep the garlic from burning. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and Italian Herb Mix and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Place the eggplant slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper, then slide pan into preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until eggplant is tender and slightly golden brown around the edges.
While your eggplant is roasting, spray each slice of sourdough bread on both sides with nonstick olive oil spray. Cook in a heated grill pan until toasty and golden brown on both sides.
In a large saucepan or wok, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, sweat the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes, then add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted.
To assemble: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a large casserole pan. Layer with bread until the dish is completely covered. Add half of the tomato sauce mixture on top. Layer all of the eggplant and spinach on top of the sauce. Add a second layer of bread over the spinach layer. Top with remaining sauce, making sure that you've covered the bread entirely with the sauce.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Place sliced tomatoes across the top of the breadcrumbs. Salt and pepper generously.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drizzle balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes, sprinkle fresh basil, then slice, serve, and enjoy with a crisp salad and sparkling lemon water.
Vegan, vegetarian
Adapted from: http://veganyumyum.com/2009/05/rustic-bread-eggplant-lasagna/
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Bev Weidner on January 27, 2012 at 8:11 am
I. AM. SIZZY.
Wait, SOLD. Well, and sizzy.
ButterYum on January 27, 2012 at 8:18 am
Stunning – love the eggplant!! Muir Glen tomatoes are one of my top two favorite brands. Mmmm – it’s only 9am, but I’m ready for dinner.
:)
ButterYum
Skye on January 27, 2012 at 8:20 am
Brooke! I’m seriously SO excited that you will be posting more vegetarian and vegan recipes! I’m vegetarian so I really appreciate them. And I love Vegan Yum Yum. I can’t wait to try this.
Also, I love your new layout!
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:28 pm
Oh, Skye! ANYTHING for you! XO!
Chelsea on January 27, 2012 at 9:11 am
Love the recipe, can’t wait to try it! And love the new blog design!
Kendra on January 27, 2012 at 9:22 am
So did you tell your kids there was eggplant in it before they ate it or after??? If mine knew before hand, I would have to blindfold them at the table and force them to take a bite. :) This recipe looks awesome!
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:27 pm
I told them before and could NOT believe I didn’t hear a single squwak out of any of them! It was really that good!
Michele Brown on January 27, 2012 at 10:25 am
This looks so delicious I want to jump into my computer screen – thank you for a yummy vegan recipe!
Amy on January 27, 2012 at 11:59 am
Looks so beautiful – almost too good to eat.
Erin on January 27, 2012 at 1:43 pm
How wonderful to make lasagna out of that bread!
Susie on January 27, 2012 at 2:40 pm
I’m sold- that looks sooooo good!
Stephanie on January 27, 2012 at 5:14 pm
So, what exactly is the texture like on this? Is it pretty soft or does the bread still retain some “crunch” or whatever? How soft are the eggplant, would you say? I’m a little picky about textures, and I think this sounds good as long as it isn’t all soft and squishy, ya know.
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:26 pm
The bread is toasted, so it maintains a nice density while soaking up the flavors. The edges were a bit crunchy after baking, but the actual recipe is very much like lasagna. Not too soft, not crunchy at all. Hope that helps!
Taryn on January 27, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Oh my gosh I am drooling over this! I’m going to make this next week for my meat and potatoes kind of family. Fingers crossed!
leslie on January 27, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Word! Were talking ghetto here right? lol
Looks amazing
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:25 pm
We mights be talking ghetto. Word.
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl on January 27, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Holy canoli, this looks seriously amazing. Even my hubby might go for it, considering it uses SOURDOUGH BREAD–looks sooo delicious! Love the new blog design, too!
Diana on January 28, 2012 at 7:36 am
Pardon the ignorance… Is the bread used to hold some better nutritional value over the pasta? OR, is it merely used for deliciousness?
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:24 pm
Nope. The bread just makes lasagna-making splendidly simple and sorta totally fun. Enjoy!
Pamela Bates/Mercantile Muse on January 28, 2012 at 3:15 pm
this looks divine. we love eggplant so i’m sure it would be scarfed right down. and yes, i’d give muir glen three thumbs up if i had another thumb.
Julie on January 29, 2012 at 6:14 am
Looks so amazing!!! I’m excited to make it! Someone asked about the bread vs pasta– some (all?) pasta is made with eggs- not vegan. I’m not vegan, just know a kid with egg allergies.
Your photos are GORGEOUS, by the way. Love your blog!
Mike on January 29, 2012 at 11:45 am
I think folks need to realize that you dont have to be a non-carnivore to totally enjoy a vegetarian or vegan recipe. I am really excited about some of the meatless dishes I am finding and loving. That beautiful eggplant and spinach lasagna is next on the list of gotta-trys! Thanks
Brooke replied: — January 29th, 2012 @ 10:23 pm
So true! Vegan is for everyone!
Diana @ a girl, a dog & an oven on January 31, 2012 at 8:57 am
This is definitely getting made. Hubs and I decided the other day that we only like pasta as an excuse to eat sauce and bread, so that’s what all we had for dinner, haha. Can’t wait to try this!
Diana @ a girl, a dog & an oven on January 31, 2012 at 8:57 am
Also, I love the new layout!
Amy on January 31, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Thanks for sharing all of your delicious inspirations! I made this on Saturday and it looks just like the picture. The flavors were amazing but I have to say that the bread was a little mushy so we ended up eating around it. Loved the eggplant in this dish though!
Jessica on January 31, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Oh. My. This is genius. Going on the list for dinner next week!
Asta on February 1, 2012 at 1:44 pm
You had me at “8-10 cloves garlic.”
Bailey on February 1, 2012 at 2:35 pm
so much wonderful garlic and sourdough! This is a win and I want it in my tummy!
Javelin Warrior on February 3, 2012 at 8:29 am
This lasagna is stunning! I’ve never even heard of bread lasagna, but I see I’ve been missing out :) I have featured your post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup. Let me know if you have any objections and thanks for the inspiration…
Adriane on February 7, 2012 at 8:26 am
I started checking out your blog about six months ago, so I decided it was time to say hello :) I made this lasagna last night and it was delicious! My husband wasn’t convinced I could make lasagna without pasta, cheese, or meat but once he tried it he fell in love.
Also, my husband and I loved your podcast with Mormon Stories! We are currently going through a similar situation. It was so scary at first to feel all alone, but stories like yours have really helped bring me comfort.
Brooke replied: — February 9th, 2012 @ 1:27 am
Adriane. Thank you. And super duper many blessings headed your way. You’re not alone by any stretch of the imagination. And, of course, you are loved right back! XO!
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lauri on February 12, 2012 at 10:18 am
I made this last night for our early Valentine’s Day celebration. My husband typically doesn’t like eggplant, but he loved this dish. We are eating the leftovers for brunch right now!
I am looking forward to trying more of your vegan recipes.
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