Why lasagna for breakfast, you say? Why not?
Casserole-type dishes work really well for brunch or breakfast, and this lasagna really is nothing but a big ol' casserole layered with noodles, vegan cheese, spinach, leeks, vegan sausage and a creamy, to-die-for bechamel sauce. Also vegan, of course.
I doubt you'll have a hard time selling this recipe to anyone -- family or friend -- because who really says no to lasagna? Plus, it's a very well-rounded dish, which is the reason it works so well to get your day off to a roaring start. There are tons of veggies in here -- leeks, scallions and spinach -- and there's a lot of protein from the sausage.
This Vegan Sausage Breakfast Lasagna doesn't really need much time to make, so you could potentially start it from scratch the morning of a leisurely day and still have breakfast or brunch ready and piping hot on the table in about 90 minutes.
Or you could assemble the lasagna the night before, cover it with cling wrap, throw it into the refrigerator, bake it the next morning, and look like a domestic genius.
I used no-boil lasagna noodles in this vegan breakfast lasagna, making things even easier and quicker. If you'd rather, use the regular old lasagna noodles, only don't forget to cook them according to package directions. I love the no-boil kind so much, I've pretty much stopped buying the other kind. Why add one more step when you don't have to?
I'm calling this a breakfast lasagna but there's no rule stopping you from making it for lunch or dinner. In fact, it would work great as a midnight snack even. I eat it out of the pan with my fingers.
Here's the recipe now. If you make it, be sure to come back and let me know.
More breakfast casserole recipes
- Savory Leek Sourdough Pudding
- One-pot Vegan Tater Tot Casserole
- Cheesy Vegan Breakfast Potato Casserole
More vegan lasagna recipes
- Classic Vegan Lasagna
- Vegan Wild Mushroom Lasagna
- Vegan Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagna
- High Protein Filo Lasagna
Vegan Sausage Breakfast Lasagna
Ingredients
- 9 oz or 15 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek, green and white parts thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz vegan Italian sausage (I used Tofurky. Place the sausages in a food processor and process a few times until crumbly).
- ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dry sage
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 4 cups cashew milk (if you want to keep this nut-free, use a nut-free nondairy milk)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 16 oz frozen chopped spinach (thaw and squeeze out excess water)
- 5 scallions or green onions, finely chopped
- 8 oz vegan mozzarella shreds
For sprinkling on top
- vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Make the bechamel sauce by heating the oil. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saute, stirring, until the leeks are soft, about five minutes.
- Add the sausage and herbs and continue to stir-fry about two or three minutes. Add the flour, mix well, and stir-fry another two minutes.
- Add half the cashew milk and stir into the sausage mixture until it begins to thicken. Add the remaining cashew milk and mix well. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat and turn off.
Assemble the lasagna:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread a couple of ladles of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of a 12 X 8 inch baking pan, then layer five noodles over the sauce to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Spread half of the chopped spinach over the noodles, then spread a third of the remaining bechamel on top of the spinach. Sprinkle a third of the cheese and a third of the scallions on top, then layer on another five noodles.
- Repeat with the other half of the spinach, a third of the bechamel, a third of cheese and a third of scallions and layer on the last five noodles.
- Ladle on the remaining bechamel on top of the noodles, sprinkle on the remaining scallions and cheese, and cover with aluminum foil. If you plan on baking this the next day, you can cover tightly with cling wrap at this time and refrigerate overnight. The next day, before baking, remove the cling wrap and replace with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove the foil cover and continue baking another 15 minutes until golden on top.
- Let stand for five minutes, then cut and serve. You can sprinkle on some vegan parmesan cheese if you wish.
Recipe notes
- This lasagna tastes wonderful hot, warm or cold.
Kay
I'm not a big fan of noodles, will zucchini work without too much excess liquid?
Vaishali
You could try it, but maybe roast a bit first before using to get rid of the water. Otherwise use slices of roasted eggplant.
Bob
Awesome recipe! I made it last night and was a big hit with the family! I added 8 oz thin sliced, sautéed white mushrooms to the finished béchamel sauce before assembling the casserole. Thank you!
Edith Tsacle
I will definitely try this. One question: if no-boil noodles are used, should there be some extra liquid added to the casserole before baking or is the bechamel enough?
Vaishali
The liquid in the bechamel is enough!
Penny
I love this idea so much! I'm a huge fan of casseroles and lasagna just because it's easy and they make great leftovers, but I never thought about a breakfast-themed lasagna before! I can't wait to try this.