Vegan Pastitsio

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My Vegan Pastitsio recipe is all about bringing comfort food into a plant-based lifestyle. Based on my mom's Greek traditional recipe, I make it with a healthy approach and high-protein ingredients, and trust me, the flavor is unreal. It is just as satisfying as the classic.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 514kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Regular Blender , to make bechamel if using homemade
Food Processor

Ingredients

1 pound tube shaped pasta , gluten free if needed (see note)
½ cup reserved pasta water from pasta
1 tablespoon tapioca starch , sub with cornstarch if preferred
½ cup dairy free milk of choice , can sub ¼ vegan butter (see note)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups vegan Parmesan Cheese , see note
3 cups vegan Bechamel , double my Bechamel recipe (you will have a little left over)

“Meat” sauce:

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas , drained and rinsed
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 ½ cups chopped sweet or yellow onion
drizzle of oil or veggie broth , to sauté
½ cup dry lentils , green or brown work best (see note)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes , about 4 medium sized tomatoes
½ cup chopped parsley
1 ½ cups veggie broth
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
½ cup white cooking wine , omit if preferred but flavor won't be as rich
½ - 1 teaspoon sea salt , start with ½ and taste before adding more
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F/ 175 C.
Cook pasta according to package directions, but cook 2-3 minutes less so that it doesn't get mushy when baked in the pan.
Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
Make a slurry using 2 tablespoons of the warm pasta water and the 1 tablespoon of tapioca, set aside.
Put the milk and rest of the pasta water into the pot where you cooked the pasta and heat it over low heat. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Slowly add in the starch mixture as you whisk it so it doesn’t clump. It should slowly thicken and get somewhat egg like. Turn off the heat.
Add the pasta and ¼ cup of the Parmesan and mix around so the pasta is covered in the mixture. Taste and add more salt if needed, this will depend on the Parmesan you use. Set aside.

Make the “meat sauce:

Chop the chickpeas and walnuts into smaller pieces using a food processor. Set aside.
Sauté onion with oil, or broth if oil free, over medium heat until onion is soft. About 5 minutes.
Add the chopped chickpeas and walnuts, lentils, chopped tomatoes and parsley and saute until the juice from the tomatoes is gone. About 5-7 minutes.
Add 1 ½ cups of the broth, tomato sauce, wine, salt and pepper and cook covered for about 8-10 minutes. Don’t let it burn.
Uncover, continue to stir and cook, checking the consistency and doneness of the lentils until the lentils are cooked and sauce is thickened but not dry. Add more broth into the pan as needed to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Build the Pastitsio in a square baking dish as follows:

Add half the pasta to the bottom of the baking dish.
Cover in the "meat sauce" and spread so it covers the top. Press it down so it’s nice and firm. This helps it mix into the pasta a little to secure the layers.
Sprinkle with ½ cup of the Parmesan.
Add the other half of the pasta on top. Press down so it blends into the “meat” portion and secures the layers.
Cover with the Bechamel.
Sprinkle with the last ½ cup of the Parmesan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until browning on the edges and the center feels like it has firmed up.
Let cool and set for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving for best results. Enjoy!

Notes

- My #1 tip for making this Vegan Pastitsio recipe is to cook the pasta slightly al dente to prevent a mushy dish. Since it continues cooking in the oven, I boil it 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions. This keeps the texture just right, so after baking, the pasta holds its shape and the layers stay firm.
- Let the Pastitsio Rest Before Slicing: I let it cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers firm up so it does not turn out too runny when served.

- Baking Dish Size: I use a 9-inch square baking dish for the best results. A smaller dish makes it taller, and a larger one makes it thinner, but any size will work.

- Pasta Quantity: I tested this recipe with 12 ounces of pasta. For a more filled dish, I use 16 ounces.

- Richer Flavor: Tossing the pasta in butter gives it a richer flavor. If I do this, I usually do not need to add extra salt.

- Lentil Type Matters: Green or brown lentils work best because they stay firm. Red lentils become too soft and will make the dish mushy.

- Chopping Tomatoes: A food processor makes chopping tomatoes quick and easy. If I do not have one, I just use a knife.

Nutrition