Vegetarian 5 Cheese Lasagna with “Meat” Sauce

First start by making the sauce. In a large (6 Qt) Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms to pan and cook until onions become soft and mushrooms begin to release liquids, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots and ½ cup wine and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.

Add Morning Star Crumbles to pot and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add tomato puree, petite-cut tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining red wine to Dutch oven, along with oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Drop in bay leaves, and give a quick stir. Cover and simmer on low heat for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce is too thick, add a little water to achieve the desired consistency. If it is too thin, continue cooking until it reaches the thickness you prefer.

Remove bay leaves . Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate or freeze unused portion within 2 hours.

Now it is time to make the lasagna. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large glass bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, and fresh parsley. Stir to combine.

Spray a 13 x 9” glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan, and then cover with 3 lasagna noodles. Top with an even layer of the ricotta cheese mixture, followed by a layer of shredded mozzarella and Gruyere cheese, using equal amounts of each. Finish with a layer of grated Parmesan and Asiago cheese, also in equal amounts.

Repeat this process three more times: sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, shredded cheeses, and grated cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning across the final layer.

Loosely tent dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.