Pierogi Lasagna – Vegan, Gluten-Free & Nut-Free
Having to go gluten-free is mostly OK. I’ve had to get creative with my vegan lasagna to lock down a vegan gluten free lasagna recipe as well. At this point, I have found decent wheat-less options for nearly all of my favourite dishes. However, there are some recipes that are so darn tricky to pull-off without the ability to use traditional flour. Pierogies are one of the few dishes that I haven’t yet been able to successfully create and because they can be so time consuming, failure during the trial process is literally devastating. Enter the Pierogi Lasagna!
I can’t quite remember what got me thinking about it, but last week I was reminded about a casserole of sorts, that my mom had made one Christmas eve that she never made again (sadly!), but clearly left a mark on my taste-buds. Whatever it was, I’m glad it did because it inspired this vegan gluten free lasagna that I call pierogi lasagna. My mom’s dish was like lasagna with garlic mashed potatoes, ricotta cheese and topped with an unholy amount of sour cream. I was only allowed to have one piece that night because there were so many other people in attendance, and I remember praying maybe someone wouldn’t want their slice and I could slink right in there and get me some! Spoiler… that didn’t happen (insert sad face).
Well, this got me thinking. The wheels were turning. I could totally use all of the elements that make traditional pierogies unbelievably tasty, without actually making individual pierogies. The gluten free lasagna noodles would act as the dough-y exterior and the mashed potatoes would of course mimic the soft, pillow-y centers. After making this pierogi lasagna recipe 3 times, happy to say that it was a big success and TOTALLY tastes like one gigantic, delicious pierogi! Here are some tips for this vegan lasagna to help you along the way:
- There is no way you can use oven ready gluten free lasagna noodles for this pierogi lasagna. Boil the noodles until al dente. Drain and drizzle a bit of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking together or place in a bowl of cold water. Either method should work just fine for your vegan lasagna.
- I always find it tough to give exact measurements with potatoes. In this pierogi lasagna, I used about 3 pounds of russets, which was 9 medium sized potatoes.
- For a super delicious pierogi lasagna, you want the mashed potatoes to be on the moist side. These should be more moist than you would typically serve them on their own, but not drenched. If you find them too dry, add a couple more tbsp of non-dairy milk. Too wet is better than too dry for this vegan lasagna recipe.
- Before transferring your potatoes to the dish, be sure to taste test and decide if you need additional salt or seasonings. Nobody wants a bland pierogi lasagna or any vegan lasagna for that matter. I was conservative on the salt, but did end up adding another 1/2 tsp (making the total 1 1/2 tsp), but feel like that might be too salty for the average person.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and try your damnedest to eat the following day. Unlike basic vegan lasagna, I don’t love the way this pierogi lasagna ages in the fridge. It reheats best in the microwave, as the stove tends to dry it out too much. I would not suggest freezing leftovers, unless you are using traditional noodles. The gluten free lasagna noodles will not thaw and reheat nicely.
- You could totally up this vegan gluten free pierogi lasagna recipe to the next level by topping with some kind of veggie bacon. OMG… that would be unreal. If you do this, be sure to brag about it on social media and tag me so I can be super jealous 😉
Pierogi Lasagna - Vegan, Gluten-Free & Nut-Free
Ingredients
- 9 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
- 1/4 cup butter - I used Earth Balance
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/3 cup cream cheese - I used Tofutti
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 9 sheets lasagna noodles - Do NOT use oven-ready noodles
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese - I used Daiya Mozzarella style
- sour cream
- sauerkraut
- chopped green onions
Instructions
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Peel and cube potatoes. Toss into a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Lower temperature to allow water to simmer and cook potatoes until soft.
- Drain water from potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl. Add in butter, milk, cream cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic and onion powder. Mash potatoes until light and fluffy.
- Lightly oil a 9 X 13 baking dish and spread a very thin layer of the potatoes onto the bottom of the pan. This will help keep lasagna noodles in place.
- Follow with first layer of noodles (using 3 sheets of noodles per layer), then spread a layer of the potatoes. Repeat this twice more and then top the final layer of potatoes with cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake on center rack for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5-7 minutes before serving.
- Top with sour cream, sauerkraut and green onions.
Notes
Vegan gluten free recipes, meal plans, wellness, home | Mostly Domestic
Vegan and Gluten free food and cooking | Mostly Domestic
Vegan and Gluten free meal plans, prep and food shopping lists | Mostly Domestic
