‘Jersey-Mex Lasagna’ doesn’t quite have the ring to it that it does with Tex, I get that. Unless you can bake in some attitude near a nuclear power plant, now that would be something. Something that’s also something is this tasty vegan recipe, so enjoy!
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pound firm tofu, drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles, drained
- 1⁄2 cup chopped green onions
- 1⁄4 cup sliced pitted black olives
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups tomato salsa, homemade
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the noodles over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until just al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, combine the pinto beans, oregano, chili powder, and cumin. Mash the beans well and incorporate the spices. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, combine the tofu, chiles, green onions, olives, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.
Spread 1⁄2 cup of the salsa in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 of the noodles on top of the salsa. Spread half of the bean mixture over the noodles, followed by another 1⁄2 cup of the salsa. Top with 4 noodles followed by the tofu mixture, spreading evenly. Top with 1 cup of the salsa, followed by the remaining bean mixture and top with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining salsa on top. Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover and let stand 10 minutes before serving… Makes 6 to 8 servings
