Whole30 Lasagna

Name: Whole30 Lasagna (No-dairy and Grain-free!)
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 4 cups raw cashews, soaked (See Recipe Notes for soaking options.); 3 cups water; 1½ teaspoons garlic salt; 4 large celery roots, aka celeriac (about 1 celery root per layer); 1 tablespoon Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil; 2 pounds lean grass-fed ground beef; Salt and pepper to taste; 1–2 jars Primal Kitchen Tomato Basil Marinara (depends on how saucy you like it); Fresh basil leaves (1 large bunch); 12.5” x 8.5” oven-safe dish (see Recipe Notes)

September 03, 2019

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Many of us have a cherished family lasagna recipe, the one our mother and grandmother used to make with thick layers of tomato sauce, browned beef, creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella cheese oozing between long noodles with curly edges. Yum! Maybe, though, you’re looking for a new twist on the lasagna of your childhood. Perhaps you want a no-dairy or gluten-free alternative, or you’re looking for ways to include more veggies in your meals, or all of the above.

We’ve got you covered with this Whole30 lasagna recipe that features cashew cheese instead of traditional dairy. It also swaps the typical noodles for something totally unique: sliced celery root, aka celeriac. If you’ve never tried it, don’t be put off by its outward appearance. Once you cut away the admittedly odd-looking exterior, you reveal a mild interior that can be sliced into “noodles” that hold their own among the meaty, saucy layers.

Like any lasagna recipe, this recipe takes some time to assemble. You’ll want to prepare the cashew cheese the day before to give the cashews time to soak and drain. We recommend reading through the recipe before starting. This is a labor of love that’s well worth it!

Whole30 Lasagna (No-dairy and Grain-free!)

Rated 4.0 stars by 6 users

Servings

Prep Time

45+ minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Calories

512

This lasagna is a no dairy, grain-free, modern version of the classic that features a totally unique noodle alternative. Enjoy! (Note: You will need to prepare the cashew cheese ahead of time and give it time to drain. Prep time does not include inactive time.)

Author:

Primal Kitchen

Image of Whole30 Lasagna (No-dairy and Grain-free!)

Ingredients

For the cashew cheese

4 cups raw cashews, soaked (See Recipe Notes for soaking options.)
3 cups water
1½ teaspoons garlic salt

For the lasagna "noodles"

4 large celery roots, aka celeriac (about 1 celery root per layer)

For the meat and sauce

1 tablespoon Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil
2 pounds lean grass-fed ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1–2 jars Primal Kitchen Tomato Basil Marinara (depends on how saucy you like it)
Fresh basil leaves (1 large bunch)

Equipment

12.5” x 8.5” oven-safe dish (see Recipe Notes)

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Directions

To make the cashew cheese (do the day before or morning of assembling)

Drain cashews in a colander or mesh sieve.
Place soaked cashews into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend with about 3 cups of water until thick like a milkshake. Add more water if necessary.
Transfer about 1 cup of the cashew blend to a small bowl and stir in ½ teaspoon of garlic salt. Set it aside to pour on top of the lasagna later. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pour the remaining cashew blend into cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel. Squeeze off as much extra liquid as you can. Let the mixture sit in the cheesecloth, placed in a sieve set atop a bowl, for 3-4 hours (or up to overnight) in the fridge.
When finished draining, season the drained cashew cheese with about 1 teaspoon of garlic salt. This is the cashew cheese you will use to assemble the layers of the lasagna.

To prepare the celery root "noodles"

Place a large pot of water over high heat to come to a boil. Meanwhile, cut one end off the celery root. Stand up the root on the cut end, then use a large knife to cut each root into a square shape. If any peel remains, trim it off.
Cut each celery root into very thin square sheets, ⅛- to ¼-inch thick.
Once the water is at a gentle boil. Add the celery root squares and boil for 3 to 5 minutes until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Use tongs or a slotted spoon to lift the squares out of the water. Set on a towel to cool.

To prepare the meat

Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add ground meat and cook until browned, stirring frequently and breaking up large clumps, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble and cook the lasagna

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish.
Arrange ⅓ of the celery root “noodles” in a layer on top of the sauce, overlapping them slightly.
Top with half the cooked meat, arranging in an even layer over the noodles.
Spoon a generous layer of marinara sauce over the meat. Use the back of the spoon to gently spread it to cover the meat. Do the same with half of the cashew cheese.
Sprinkle torn fresh basil over the cashew cheese. Top with another layer of ⅓ of the celery root “noodles.”
Repeat the above steps with the remaining meat, more marinara sauce, the remaining cashew cheese, and more basil.
Finish with a final layer of celery root “noodles.” Then, top with the 1 cup of cashew cheese you set aside earlier.
Bake the lasagna, uncovered, for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Note

Nutrition information calculated using Cronometer.

Soak the cashews in ½ cup water overnight. Alternatively, bring 6½ cups of water to boil in a pot. Remove from heat and then place cashews into the pot. Let cashews soak in hot water for one hour before draining.

We used a Le Creuset 12.5 x 8.5 (3 ½ quart) casserole dish. This recipe makes a lot of lasagna, so you could halve the recipe and bake in a smaller dish instead.