Let’s take a moment to admire the ugly celeriac. Such an awesome root. Really affordable to buy, filled with flavour and so versatile to use. Plus, it’s thick, wrinkly, handle cold temperatures well and can therefor be harvested all through the winter. We had some celeriac left in the fridge after we had made this dish and used some of those leftovers to make thin and crispy celeriac chips and chopped the rest into a carrot & celeriac soup that, with a dash of white wine, was right on point.
But we are not here for the leftovers, are we? We are here because of this little vegan lasagna made on thinly shaved celeriac and parsnip “noodles” that are layered with a tomato & lentil sauce, mushrooms and spinach and then covered with cherry tomatoes and baked until soft. For a long time we refused to call it lasagna, as we know that people can be a little cranky with words. The recipe is made entirely without lasagna noodles and béchamel sauce which probably is what technically makes a lasagna. But in the end we just thought lasagna sounded more appealing than casserole and it also gives a more visual description of how this dish is layered. Our little gif animation further down in this post, also helps with that.
Regardless of its name, this is damn tasty and perfect winter food. The roots don’t soak up liquid like lasagna so it stays juicy without the need to add a creamy sauce. However, if you feel like throwing some dairy into it, we can recommend whisking a good ricotta with some lemon juice and spreading it out as an extra layer in the middle.
Replacing lasagna noodles with thinly sliced celeriac is a great little trick that unfortunately was not invented by us. There are a bunch of recipes out there, from Gordon Ramsey’s double cream version to Sarah Britton’s with butternut squash.
On another note, yesterday we put a major deadline behind us (which is why we have been so slow with new blog recipes). It feels great and we will tell you all about that project soon. Now we are actually off to Asia to sip coconuts, sleep for a hundred years and hug or kids, but we have prepared a whole array of Christmas recipes that we will post next week. And a really beautiful and tasty breakfast that we’ll post after Christmas – just when you are looking for something fresh again. So check back soon!
Celeriac Lasagna AKA Shaved Roots & Mushroom Casserole
Serves 6-8
Tomato & Lentil Sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil, butter, ghee or olive oil
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp chili flakes
4 cans (6 cups / 1560 g) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup (125 ml) puy lentils (or lentils of choice), rinsed
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 sprigs thyme, chopped
20 leaves basil, chopped
sea salt and pepper
Shaved roots
1 small celeriac root
3 parsnip roots
1 tbsp coconut oil, butter, ghee or olive oil
2 clove garlic
20 brown mushrooms
250 g frozen spinach, thawed (fresh is fine too)
20 cherry tomatoes (or 4 regular tomatoes), sliced
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Preparing the tomato & lentil sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, garlic and chili flakes and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and let simmer for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the sauce is quite ‘dry’.
Preparing the celeriac and parsnip lasagna noodles: Rinse the roots well, then peel, you might want to use a knife instead of a peeler. Cut the roots in halves (or quarters if it’s large). Slice it in very thin slices, best and easiest done with a mandolin slicer (3 mm slices). Alternatively use a sharp knife, but be careful, and slice as thin as possible.
Preparing the mushrooms: Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush (baking brush or toothbrush), if they are very dirty wash them with a little water and dry well. Slice the stem and the cap lengthwise into large pieces. Heat oil and garlic in a skillet on medium-high heat, add mushrooms and for a couple of minutes until browned on one side, then stir. Fry for a couple more minutes and pour into a bowl. Now add the thawed spinach to the same skillet with out rinsing. When heated, set aside.
Assembling the lasagna: In an oven proof dish, start with a thin layer of oil, cover with a layer of root ‘noodles’. Add a layer of half of the tomato sauce and cover with a layer of root ‘noodles’. Add a layer of mushrooms + spinach and a layer of root ‘noodles’. Add a layer of the remaining tomato sauce and arrange the sliced tomatoes on top to cover the tomato sauce. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.
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