Hello lovelies,
when I have guests or want to make the whole family full and happy, this Mexican tortilla lasagna comes to the table. Instead of pasta sheets, tortillas are layered here, with a spiced vegetable sauce of beans and corn and a creamy cashew cheese sauce in between. Baked until golden, it looks like a classic lasagna – but tastes wonderfully of Mexico.
The base is a hearty vegetable sauce: onion, garlic, pepper and zucchini are fried with soy mince, then kidney beans, corn and tomatoes go in, and the same zucchini, grated and wrung out dry, becomes crisp zucchini waffles from the waffle iron on another evening. Smoked paprika, a little chili and a squeeze of lime give it that signature depth. While it simmers, I blend soaked cashews, salsa, nutritional yeast and yoghurt into a creamy cheese sauce – no cheese at all, but everything that tastes cheesy.
Then comes the layering: tortilla, vegetable sauce, cashew cheese sauce – again and again until everything is used up. I spread the top tortilla with sour cream and scatter grated cheese over it. In the oven the crust turns golden and the layers come together into a wonderfully juicy bake you can cut into slices like a real lasagna.
With fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a scoop of guacamole, it turns into a feast that's guaranteed to fill everyone up – and one where nobody misses the meat, exactly like the Grilled Zucchini Halloumi Skewers with Peach I marinate in lime, honey and thyme before they go on the grill.
If you love Mexican cooking and hearty bakes, do try my Jackfruit Jalapeño Tacos, my autumnal lasagne with pumpkin and my 3 basic recipes with cashews for creamy sauces.
