Rice Paper Vegetable Lasagna

When making lasagna, one incredibly vivid memory comes to mind. At the Rio+20 Earth summit in Brazil in 2012, there were reportedly 50,000 people in attendance. Many environmental enthusiasts, activists, journalists, and dignitaries from 180 countries at the central pavilion tasted our restaurant’s various vegan and vegetarian meals. Our vegetarian lasagna has been a massive hit at several events over the years and was no exception in Rio de Janeiro. Since 1998, our team and I have always prepared and served vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free lasagna at various events, from diverse music festivals to yoga events and fundraising events for our charity work, around the world, and spiritual retreats.

This vegan, gluten-free “artful recipe rendition” Rice Paper Vegetable Lasagna is a creative alternative to traditional lasagna. It is creamy, soft, and boasts a superb taste and texture. The rice paper used in this recipe is a healthier, gluten-free substitute for traditional wheat pasta – as delectable, soft, and chewy as lasagna while offering a fresh new experience. If you have had a salad roll or vegetable roll at a Vietnamese or Asian restaurant, you’ve already enjoyed a rice paper wrapper.

The rice paper wrappers, available at Asian grocery stores, are super thin, traditionally made from rice, water, and salt, and can be filled with virtually any mixture. Their translucent quality allows you to see the filling inside, and they offer a pleasant chewiness. To use them, dip each wrapper in warm water for 3–5 seconds to soften, then layer them as you would in a traditional lasagna.

You can purchase rice paper in square or round shapes, depending on your dish. This vegan lasagna does not require prolonged baking like traditional lasagna because the vegetables are only partially cooked, and the softened rice paper further speeds up the process. The recipe takes only 15–30 minutes compared to the typical 45–50 minutes of traditional lasagna.

The key step is uniting the layers during the final cooking stage. While traditional pasta might require precooking and more baking time, the thin, soaked rice paper offers flexibility. For tender, soft vegetables, bake for 30–40 minutes; for a crunchier texture, simply grill the surface for a few minutes.

During assembly, the residual heat gently cooks the vegetables, making them easy and quick to prepare. Try this recipe and impress your friends with your professional cooking skills!

Print Recipe

Rice Paper Vegetable Lasagna

Lunch, Dinner – Italian

By SS Shiva – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 60 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 80 minutes

A creative vegan and gluten-free lasagna that uses rice paper as a substitute for traditional pasta. This dish features a creamy potato sauce layered with a medley of vegetables and fruits, offering a unique and satisfying flavor profile.

Ingredients

• Top layer Sauce:
• 500 grams potato
• 2 tablespoon brewers yeast
• 1 tablespoon Black salt (Himalayan salt optional)
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg grated
• 2 cups water or pineapple skin tea (optional)
• Salt according to taste
• 1st layer of vegetable filling:
• 6 sheets of rice paper, (square or round) depending on your baking dish
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and some according to taste
• 1 teaspoon white/black pepper powder freshly ground
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
• 300 grams of cabbage, sliced into small squares
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise
• 2nd layer vegetable filling:
• 6 sheets of rice paper
• 500 grams of finely sliced kale
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup roasted cashew nuts cracked
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 500 grams large spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon of salt and some as per taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

For sauce layer:

1

To make the top layer for the lasagna, boil the potatoes until fully cooked.

2

Add all the ingredients needed for the top layer into a blender. Blend until smooth. Separate into two portions and set aside.

1st layer vegetable base:

3

In a medium-sized pan, add the sesame oil and sauté all spices for the base layer.

4

Add the vegetables for this layer and sauté for 2–3 minutes until half-cooked. Remove from heat and spread the vegetables in the baking dish.

5

Take 6 sheets of rice paper, one by one, dipping them in water until soft. Lay the softened rice paper sheets over the vegetables on the tray, then spread a thin layer of the potato sauce over the rice paper.

2nd layer vegetable filling:

6

In a separate medium-sized pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the kale and season with salt.

7

When the kale begins to wilt, add the dates, cashew nuts, and grated coconut, and mix well. Then, add the spinach and sauté for about 1–2 minutes.

8

Spread this mixture evenly over the first layer in the baking dish. Soak the remaining rice paper sheets and lay them over this layer. Next, spread the remaining potato sauce thinly over the rice paper.

9

Place the dish under the grill for 20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

• 290.0 Calories
• 40.0g Carbohydrates
• 0.0mg Cholesterol
• 10.0g Fat
• 8.0g Fiber
• 8.0g Protein
• 400.0mg Sodium
• 0.0g Trans fat

Notes

The rice paper can be purchased at any Asian grocery store. It requires minimal cooking time since it does not need to remain in the oven for an extended period. These vegan recipes only require 10 to 20 minutes of grilling, unlike the 45 to 50 minutes typical of traditional lasagna.