Vegan pastitsio (Greek lasagna)

Vegan pastitsio (Greek lasagna)

vegan pastitsio slice

Easter is coming and so I bet you are looking for a crowd pleasing dish, which whoever gathers around your table, vegan or not, would be happy to tuck into. I have one such dish for you and I challenge anyone not to enjoy it. It’s called pastitsio and it’s the Greek answer to lasagne, although some people say that it’s actually Italian. I’m not sure, but I do know a good pastitsio from when I lived in Greece as it is a mandatory staple on every decent taverna’s menu.

It’s a really comforting dish but as it’s eaten in Greece, which, Northern mountainous regions aside, doesn’t really know true winter 😉 – I feel like it’s very appropriate right now even if Easter Sunday turns out to be sunny and warm and you never know – especially when you live in the UK like me… Whatever weather Zeus sends us, we will be fine with a tray of pastitsio to dive into, hahahaha.

Compared to moussaka, pastitsio isn’t as well known outside of Greece but it’s just as delicious and a little less fussy to make too. It consists of three distinct layers, the first one being pasta traditionally bound together with eggs and feta cheese, followed by beef ragu and crowned with layer of creamy béchamel.

Traditionally, bucatini pasta is used for the base, but I decided to use the more widely available macaroni as it passed the test cooks with flying colours and it makes the recipe a little more accessible too. An important thing to remember is not to overcook your pasta! Having lived in Greece for four years, I noticed that they tend to take their pasta way beyond al dente. Initially, I put it down to a mistake or maybe personal preference of the cook but then I noticed that all the pasta packets I’ve ever bought whilst living there overstated pasta cooking time considerably. It is in Greece that I got into the habit of never quite trusting the prescribed cooking time and finding it out for myself. In the case of this dish, as the bake spends 50 minutes in the moderately hot oven, it is imperative to only just pre-cook your pasta or your will end up with an overcooked mess at the end.

I replaced beef with a delicious and accidently healthy combination of umami-rich mushrooms and fibre-rich lentils. They deliver heaps of flavour and texture and make this still indulgent dish way healthier too. While traditional pastitsio boasts 800 kCal per portion, this guy comes in at half that. The final layer is béchamel, which is by far the most indulgent element of this entire dish, but I feel that it’s okay to indulge from time to time, isn’t it? It is made with mild tasting olive oil, flour and oat milk. It’s light, creamy and makes this dish so addictive. Its creaminess works beautifully against the slight tanginess of the tomato and wine based ragu. I like to serve it with a large green salad, some good wine and nibbles like olives, dips and crackers.

We have been living on a few variations of this dish for the past week and we’ve enjoyed it immensely. It took our taste buds right back to living on the Mediterranean sea, which we miss this year in particular. I hope you and your nearest and dearest will enjoy it just as much and it will make your Easter gathering a little bit more special. καλή όρεξη!

vegan pastitsio ingredients

vegan pastitsio pasta ragu layers

vegan pastitsio bechamel layer

vegan pastitsio cutting

vegan pastitsio cross section

vegan pastitsio piece

serves
9-12
PREP
45 min
COOKING
120 min
serves
9-12
PREPARATION
45 min
COOKING
120 min
INGREDIENTS
RAGU

  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 250 g / 8¾ oz chestnut / cremini mushrooms, cleaned
  • 125 g / 4½ oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned
  • ¾-1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves*
  • ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper, to taste
  • 120 ml / ½ cup red wine
  • 400 g tin plum tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste / concentrate
  • 3 tsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp vegan Worcester sauce
  • 2 fresh or dry bay leaves
  • a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
  • pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
  • 150 g / 1 cup cooked Puy or other firm lentils
  • 1 tsp sugar or date nectar

PASTA LAYER

  • 300 g / 10½ oz macaroni pasta* (GF if needed)
  • 120 ml / ½ cup oat milk (or other plant milk)
  • 1 tbsp tapioca
  • salt and pepper

BECHAMEL (or alternative bechamel)

  • 1 head of roasted garlic cloves** (optional)
  • 2 tsp white miso paste
  • 780 ml / 3¼ cups oat milk (I recommend Oatly original) or other plant milk
  • 80 ml / 1/3 cup mild olive oil (or 100 g / 3½ oz vegan butter)
  • 80 g / 2/3 cup AP flour (or GF flour mix)
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
  • ¼ tsp pepper, adjust to taste
  • freshly ground nutmeg (I used 1/3 whole nutmeg), to taste

METHOD
ROAST GARLIC (optional but recommended)

  1. Preheat the oven to 200° C / 390° F.
  2. Cut the top of the garlic head(s) off with a knife. Drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil and wrap the garlic in a piece of kitchen foil so that the tops of the cloves are protected from getting burnt.
  3. Place in a preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, until the cloves are soft and caramelised. Store in the fridge for 1 week.

RAGU

  1. Heat up olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom pan. Once the oil starts shimmering, add diced onion and sauté, on a low-medium heat, until translucent and only just caramelised (about 15 minutes). Skip to step 3 while waiting.
  2. Add in the garlic and fry for a few more minutes until fragrant.
  3. While the onions are sautéing, dice your mushrooms quite finely. You can use a food processor but it’s too easy to overprocess them so I prefer to chop them by hand, it also saves on washing up.
  4. Once the onion-garlic mixture is ready, add diced mushrooms in three batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. As soon as the first batch is cooked (turns dark brown), add the next.
  5. Once all the mushrooms are cooked, season them with cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Allow all the water to cook out.
  6. Add in wine and allow the alcohol taste to cook out before adding in plum tomatoes, their juices, tomato paste, a cup of water (rinse your tin with it), tamari, Worcester sauce (if using), bay and thyme leaves and a pinch of chilli (if using).
  7. Break tomatoes up with a wooden spoon and give the mixture a good stir. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until tomatoes have fully broken down and sauce becomes homogenous. Give the sauce a good stir from time to time, add a splash more water if the pan is looking too dry.
  8. Once the tomatoes break down fully, stir in cooked lentils. If the ragu is too dry, add a little water as it will dry out more during baking.
  9. Adjust the seasoning and add a touch of sweetness if desired. Set aside to cool.

PASTA

  1. Cook pasta for half amount of the time stated on the packet. My macaroni packet said 11-13 minutes, I cooked it for 6 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water.
  2. Return the pasta to the empty pot you cooked it in, stir in oat milk, salt and pepper to taste and tapioca flour.

BECHAMEL

  1. Measure out the milk. Blend roasted garlic cloves and miso paste with 120 ml / ½ cup of the oat milk allocated for the béchamel sauce.
  2. Slowly heat up olive oil in a large saucepan (stainless steal works best for this). Once the oil starts to shimmer, gradually whisk in flour. Keep whisking until the mixture is super smooth. Allow the mixture to bubble gently, whisking the whole time, for a whole minute so that there is no raw flour taste in your béchamel, but make sure it doesn’t colour.
  3. Next, reduce the heat to low and start adding in oat milk while whisking the whole time. Initially the mixture may thicken really quickly and look a bit lumpy – don’t worry, it will recover once all the milk has been whisked in. Once the mixture looks stable whisk in nutritional yeast and allow it to melt into the sauce, then continue adding in the rest of your milk, including the batch you’ve whizzed up with garlic and miso. Simmer only just enough for the sauce to thicken, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Preheat the oven to 180° C / 390° F (or 160° C / 320° F on a fan setting).
  2. Arrange a layer of seasoned pasta at the bottom of the baking dish (see notes).
  3. Spread ragu on top of the pasta, followed by the béchamel.
  4. Bake for about 50 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through cooking to ensure it bakes evenly. Increase the oven temperature by 10° C / 20° F for the last 10 minutes of baking time to speed up browning.
  5. Allow the dish to set for at least an hour or else the slices will come out messy, although I do recommend waiting to consume until the following day – the flavours will mellow and the dish will taste even better. Store the leftovers for up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze in air-tight containers.

NOTES
*GROUND CLOVES: I and many people who loved this recipe, like the amount of cloves as stated, but I had one reviewer complain about it. If you dislike cloves or are sensitive to them, use only a big pinch of skip completely.

*Traditionally, bucatini pasta is used, but as I could not find any locally, I went for macaroni, which worked really well. Alternatively, you can also use ziti or penne.

**I recommend baking 3 heads at one time as they make a great addition to salad dressings, dips, soups. Alternatively you could use a finely grated clove of raw garlic, which you can add in straight or sauté it in the oil first, but be super careful not to let it turn brown – it will make the béchamel taste bitter.

The baking dish I used is a square 25 cm / 10″ dish, but another shape dish of similar surface area will work just as well.

SHARE
NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
296
15%
sugars
10 g
11%
fats
10 g
14%
saturates
1 g
7%
proteins
8 g
16%
carbs
43 g
17%
*per serving
How would you rate this recipe?
This is a test string

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

4.9
30 reviews, 67 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Lisa:
This looks like a wonderful recipe. For best favoring, do you recommend baking it a day ahead or just making it and storing it in the refrigerator a day ahead and then baking it? And if you bake it and then refrigerator it a day ahead do you then reheat for an hour and let cool for an hour for cutting? Thank you so much for any information.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Lisa,
    It's up to you, you can do either but making the sauce and the bechamel the day in advance is probably easier...If you reheat the entire bake, you probably won't need to cool it for as long as it will have set nicely already the day before. I have neve done it that way so I am unsure but my guess is that you'll be fine letting it settle for 20 minutes or so. Hope this helps. Ania
Katie:
Made this tonight and it was sensational. It felt like a warm hug. Will be making this again!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Katie. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed it so much and thanks for taking the time to let me know. Ania
Helen:
I haven't been able to find tapioca locally. Is there anything more readily available that I can use as a substitute? Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Helen,
    Cornstarch is usually a good replacement although, full disclosure, I have not tried it in this particular recipe. Pretty sure it will come out great and you'll enjoy the dish. Ania
Kathy:
Not rating yet as I haven’t made it yet. We are HUGE fans of pastitsio and I make a damn good (according to my family) pastitsio with meat. My soon to be daughter in law is vegetarian and I. can’t wait to try it!!! Thank you so much…. I’m so happy I found this!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Delighted to hear that Kathy and how nice of you to make a vegetarian version for your daughter in law - I am sure she will appreciate this a lot and I hope it well go down well. Ania
Rachael:
I'm not usually a fan of mushrooms, but this was such a hearty and flavorful fall dish! I used regular flour instead of tapioca and swapped some of the mushrooms for chopped walnuts, which added a nice texture. I also used vegetable broth instead of red wine and it turned out great. Definitely a little time-consuming to prepare, but well worth it and will make it again. Thank you for sharing!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am so pleased to hear that this pastitsio was such a winner with you, Rachel - it one of my personal favourites when it gets cold :) Thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Cathy Holding:
incredible for omni's and vegans alike.x
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thanks so much Cathy, I am so happy to hear that and thanks for letting me know. x Ania
Colin:
I was intrigued by the combination of flavours but I found that the finished product was nearly inedible due the overwhelming flavour of cloves. Is 1/4 tsp cloves actually correct? For me it ruined what could have been a tasty dish.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Colin,
    Yes, it is correct and I've never had anyone else complain - this recipe has had plenty of 5 star reviews and great comments from my guests too - so perhaps you are sensitive to that flavour. You can of course adjust to your liking. Ania
    Charlie:
    I'm not a fan of clove either or actually nutmeg or cinnamon. I replaced it with mix herbs as it is more to my taste. If your like me you will love it, it is worth another go. an amazing recipe.
Ruth:
This recipe is a gem. I tried it this weekend for company and was very pleased! We're having the leftovers today and it's even better. I may have used a bit too much nutmeg, but it was still divine. It's an effort, but well worth it! It's definitely something I'll make again and again. Thank you so much, Lazy Cat!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thank you Ruth, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it and that it went down so well with your guests! I am delighted to hear that you plan to make it on a regular basis and thanks so much for taking the time to let me know that it was a success. x Ania
Sean Hall:
Fantastic easy to make recipe, made 3 Pastitsios from the measurements in the recipe using smaller dishes. Two for the freezer, one for eating now. I’ll definitely use the ragu for other recipes and the bechamel worked perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you Sean, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed it so much and you are planning to make the ragu again. Thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Lisa:
I've spent most of my last 30 summers in Greece, it's one of my favourite places in the world and holds wonderful memories! When I decided to cook more plant-based at home I was so excited to find Ania's blog! This Pastitsio came out WONDERFULLY! Even my not-at-all-vegan parents really enjoyed it. Although it has a few steps, Ania always explains her recipes so well and makes them very easy to follow. I'm going to be making this again and will be trying the Moussaka next! Please keep-up posting your wonderful recipes, Ania!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thank you for your kind words, Lisa! I am so happy to hear that you and your no-vegan parents enjoyed this recipe so much and that you found it easy to follow too - that was my hope when I created this recipe. I hope you'll enjoy my moussaka recipe just as much. Thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Alexis:
sooo good! hubby is Greek and grew up eating this all the time. I wanted to make something that he would love. the whole fanily devoured it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That is such lovely feedback, Alexis! I am so delighted that it went down so well with your husband and the rest of your family. x Ania
Martha:
This is so amazingly good. Takes time, many ingredients, and gets lots of dishes dirty, but is so worth it, and makes wonderful leftovers. Definitely making it for an Easter dinner party.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much, Martha! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed this dish and are planning to make it for Easter. I agree, it isn't a quick thing to make but then these types of layered dishes never are. I'm glad that you feel that it was worth the effort. x Ania
mclovin:
amazing! luv it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, thanks :)
Loobyloo:
how many medium servings does this make please.
the recipe looks really good.
from what you say, I understand it should brle served at room temperature. .
we enjoyed your courgette pasta with almonds twice.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi there,
    This recipe makes nine 8 cm / 3" square servings (I baked mine in 25 cm / 10" square dish) or twelve smaller ones. Hope you'll enjoy it and if you could review my courgette pasta recipe, I would really appreciate it. x Ania
Lucy:
I am having my very first vegan dinner party next week and am thinking of cooking this for my main! One of the guests isn't keen on mushrooms though - do you think it would work with TVP mince in the Ragu instead?
Can't wait to try it! My mouth is already watering! Xxx
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Lucy!
    Sure, it will work but mushrooms also contribute flavour so if I were you I would sneak in some porcini stock into the mix, soak TVP in it before adding it all to the pan (they will know, it simply contributes a lot of savouriness / depth of flavour / umami). Hope this helps and that it will go down well. x Ania
      Lucy:
      Thanks so much Ania! Will definitely try that!
      I have a couple more questions if thats ok! Ive managed to find a 25cm square dish but it looks a bit shallower than yours - do you have the depth of the dish you used please?
      Also I noted that you serve it at room temp or slightly warmer - do you have to prep your guests in advance so theyre not expecting something super hot like a normal lasagna?
      Sorry for all the silly questions!
      Lu x
        Ania
        Ania:
        Hi Lu,
        I've just measured and my dish is just over 5.5 cm to the brim. As for the serving temperature, I mention it as I serve it but especially if served in the warmer months, it's not a problem. It depends on your guests and their expectations I guess but ultimately you are the host so the decision on how and what to serve is solely yours :) . You could serve it straight away if they insist, but the slices will be much messier. I actually find that to be the case with lasagne as well. Not silly questions, hosting can be a bit stressful especially of making something for the first time. Good luck and I hope it all goes well. x Ania
Amy:
Love all of your recipes! This one in particular is a winner!!! Delicious!!! Couldn’t wait the full hour before tucking in.. maybe around 20mins! Which worked out perfectly! Held its shape completely!! Making again!! And again! Thanks for sharing 😍
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much for your kind words, Amy. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed this dish so much that you are already planning on making it again (and again...) - that's what every recipe creator wants to hear. And thank you so much for taking the time to review. Reviews really help my blog be found in the wilderness of the Internet so I really appreciate it! x Ania
Eric L:
Fancy, and delicious! I did use sunflower seeds and tofu to make the bechemel instead of flour and olive oil. Perfect! And the ragu was wonderful. Thank you!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Eric! I am delighted that you enjoyed it and your version of the bechamel sounds delicious too. x Ania
    Jim:
    We are oil free. How much sunflower seeds and tofu did you use. Thanks I’m Advace
Caroline:
This is absolutely delicious and easy to make!! The mushrooms add wonderful texture, the spices and bechamel make this a wonderful dish for the holidays or anytime really. It tastes even better the next day. Ania is the best, thank you for all of the amazing vegan dishes you share.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much for your warm review, Caroline! I am delighted to hea that you found it both delicious and easy to make too! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, that really means a lot and helps my work be seen by more people. x Ania
Catherine Kinglake:
Hello…do I have to add the nutritional yeast to the béchamel pls?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Catherine,
    You don't have to, but it does give it a nice depth of flavour. There is other flavourings (miso, roasted garlic) that will easily compensate for it though if you don't have it. x Ania
Lucy Black:
Hi, what could I sub for Tapioca or could I just leave it out?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Lucy,
    Tapioca is used so that the pasta layer doesn't fall apart as easily. You could simply make a bit of roux with regular flour or chickpea flour (fat, flour, plant milk) to bind it together or leave it out but the pieces will be a little less neat. x Ania
Tanya Zachara:
I'd like to cook this for Christmas day, but my husband is allergic to mushrooms, what do you think might work instead?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Tanya,
    Hmm, that's a tough one as mushrooms provide both texture and a lot of flavour. I would perhaps use fried or baked aubergine / eggplant or some crumbled (smoked would be nice) firm tofu and some veggie stock? Hope this helps! x Ania
Jackie van der Meer-Cairncross:
My husband, son and I absolutely loved this recipe. It was super tasty and it is definitely one I will make again. I also plan to make just the ragu to have with spaghetti and the bechamel to have with an Italian style lasagne. There are some leftovers but I daresay they will not last for long!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Jackie! I'm so happy to hear that it went down so well with your entire family and thank you so much for returning to review - I really appreciate it. x Ania
Amy Magner:
Absolutely delicious! Used to love pastitio pre-vegan so this is such a treat to be able to have it again- the bechamel is amazing.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Amy! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it so much and many thanks for taking the time to leave this review - I really appreciate it. x Ania
Paula:
Love this recipe ! So easy to make and great flavors. I invited my vegan neighbors to enjoy and they loved it 😊. I will be making this again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks Paula, that's so lovely to hear and what a great neighbour you are! And thank you for taking the time to review this recipe – I really appreciate it. x Ania
Glenn:
Thanks for the inspiration for a fun few hours in the kitchen this afternoon! Prior to going vegan, pastitsio was what I always felt like making as it got close to the time of our town's annual Greek festival. Love the combination of mixed mushrooms and lentils. I added a few button mushrooms with the shiitake and cremini. I like how it worked with ziti pasta boiled for just five minutes. I appreciate the pro tip to cook for half the package directions. Can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow! Definitely will make this a few times a year.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you for your kind words, Glenn! I am so happy to hear that this dish has hit the spot and that it brought back some nice food memories without compromising your ethics. Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely review - I really appreciate it as it helps my work to be seen by more people. x Ania
Denise Litchfield:
THIS IS MAGIC! Comfort food in a baking dish, and the unexpected spices add the best touch. I have yet to get my noodle base looking as perfect as the picture, but who cares? The result is amazing.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks for your kind words, Denise. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed it and thank you so much for taking the time to review. I agree, neat slices matter much more when you've got to photograph it, otherwise a dose of rusticity is probably preferred :) Ania
David:
Such a great recipe— a little involved, but a great Sunday project! I made the bechamel with no oil!!! I used 1 c oatmilk (leaving 2 c to add later) to suspend the flour. I added 1 tbsp tapioca flour to help thicken it. Turned out PERFECT. Next time I might roast some carrots to add to the ragu— you can’t have too much umami. Everyone (15 yo daughter included) Loved it.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks for your kind feedback, David and I'm delighted to hear that it went down so well. And I love the sound of that healthier bechamel too. x Ania
Emily:
Made this for my Dad's birthday has he grew up loving pastitsio and is now vegan. We all absolutely loved it!!!! Thanks for this recipe.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Emily! I'm delighted to hear that it was well received by your dad and and other family members. Many thanks for taking the time to let me know that you've enjoyed it so much. x Ania
Susan:
This dish was amazing! It had the perfect flavour profile and was a restaurant quality dish. My family of four devoured the whole thing in one sitting it was so good!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Susan! I'm delighted to hear that it went down so well with your family and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review - I really appreciate it. x Ania
Clarita Scioscia:
I so appreciate your time and the links, thank you! I'm going to get some, can't wait, this is a game changer!
    Ania
    Ania:
    My pleasure!
Clarita Scioscia:
So I didn't want to take up any more of your time and thought I'd just Google kombu, because I've never heard of it. I couldn't get a satisfactory answer. Would you mind telling me about it and how it helps? Do you use it with all beans?
Thank you again!
    Ania
    Ania:
    It's not a problem. Kombu is a type of seaweed (see here) and adding a small piece to the cooking water helps to neutralise certain properties of legumes that tend to cause gastric issues in some people. See this article, for example. Hope this helps. Ania
Clarita Scioscia:
Thank you so much for the quick response, very helpful, thank you!
Clarita Scioscia:
I made this for dinner last night, wowza, so good! It's a time investment, but so worth it. What do you think about adding dried lentils and extra water to the ragu while it's simmering, rather than add already cooked lentils at the end?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Clarita! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! It depends how sensitive you are to lentils. I like to cook them separately to be able to skim the foam and add a piece of kombu as I find that this makes them easier on my stomach, if you have no issues you can absolutely cook them in the sauce. Additionally, cooking them separately also gives you better control over the level of doneness. Hope this helps. Ania
Jackie:
Our daughter made this for us recently - it was amazing ! The ragu is so so tasty, I think this is definitely a dish that would win round vegan sceptic dinner guests. Thanks for sharing xx
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Jackie! I'm so happy to hear that this dish has hit the spot and thank you for returning to let me know that it was such a success - I really appreciate it. x Ania
Hemmy:
This was a hit in our house, we're not vegan, but are trying to eat more plant based, as much as possible. My meat loving, mushroom hating son even loved this one, so that's high praise indeed! Loads of flavour and full of umami, so we really loved this one and will do it again. Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much for your kind words, Hemmy! I'm delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed it and plan to make it more often. And thanks so much for returning to leave this lovely review - I really appreciate it! Ania
Anna:
I've made this recipe today. Replaced lentils with whole mung beans and used fettuccine pasta. We eat lentils often, I just wanted some variety. The fettuccine was the only pasta I had at home.
The recipe looks very complicated, but it is worth following exactly, if only to get the feel and taste of the intended result. I can think of many variations for that middle layer! I really liked the pasta trick - undercooking the pasta, then mixing with vege milk and tapioca. The pasta will be chewy and will stick together nicely. I let the pastitsio rest for 30 minutes before eating - we just couldn't resist the aroma :-P.
If you cook the pasta first and then layer it in the baking dish, you can reuse the pot to make the top layer, saves on washing.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Anna. I'm delighted that you and your family enjoyed it and thank you so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review - I really appreciate it, it helps my work reach more people. x Ania
Stefanie Hall:
Loved this thank you. This was always my favourite dish when in Greece when I ate meat and I'd never made it before so it seems right that the first time I do it's vegan. The flavours took me there and whilst it takes a while it was sooo good with left overs too, although not as much as other have said!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed it, Stefanie and that it brought back happy holiday memories! And thanks so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review - I really appreciate it. Ania
Catherine McAleese:
Hi! Just finished making this - it looks amazing but there's loads!! Can I freeze it?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Catherine,
    Absolutely, just portion it and lock away in air-tight containers. Ania
Jenny:
Hi Ania!
I recently discovered your blog and am equally enjoy your writing voice as much as your delicious recipes. I’m a very intuitive vegan cook, mostly reading food blogs for inspiration. However this time I more or less followed this recipe. I admittedly cheated with a jar of marinara sauce and some Moroccan spice blend. Oh my goodness. After eating this dish for dinner three nights in a row my husband and I will be mourning the absence of it in our refrigerator. I found myself thinking about it in the late afternoons, asking myself it was too early for dinner. Definitely a new favorite to make for guests, a holiday, or a particularly bleak feeling Monday. Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Jenny! I'm delighted to hear that you found my blog and that this recipe has been such a hit with both you and your husband that you plan to make it more often - that's the best compliment I could hope for! x Ania
Clare Tyler:
Ania, this is so delicious! I love this take on lasagne, the cinnamon and clove are such great flavors! This will be a family favouritw for us. Thabk you for the great recipes. Clare
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Clare! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed it so much and plan to make on the regular basis! x Ania
Erin W:
This dish was OUTSTANDING!!!! The only thing I did differently was I substituted meatless crumbles for the lentils, as I don't really care for them. The ragu was so flavorful and the Bechamel was so delicious that I'm going to use it in other recipes. Thanks for sharing this! Will make again and again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Erin! I'm chuffed to hear that you enjoyed this dish so much that you plan to make it on a regular basis. And thanks so much for taking the time to let me know - I really appreciate it. x Ania
Kelley Butler:
Absolutely wonderful. I made a day ahead and reheated for Easter Dinner. The non-vegans were going back for seconds! Thank you so much!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's so lovely to hear, Kelley! I'm overjoyed to hear that this recipe was such a hit with everyone, including non-vegans! Thank you so much for taking the time write this lovely review - it's is very motivating to know that my work is making a real difference to people. x Ania
Heather:
My grandmother used to make Pastisio. I look forward to trying a vegan version!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, I hope you'll enjoy my take on it! Ania
Do you eat this at room temperature then, or if you wait a day and store in the fridge - are you eating it cold? Thanks.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi,
    Yes, it is typically eaten at room temperature or only just a little warm. It takes a while before it becomes cold. I recommend eating it a day after it has been made as the flavour improves with time. You can either just bring it back to room temperature (especially on a warm day) or if you want it warmer, place in a low oven for 30 minutes or so. Hope this helps! Ania
Simon:
this is something new for me, curious about it's taste.
    Ania
    Ania:
    You should give it a go, you won't regret it, promise! x Ania
Ramya:
will be making this soon i never had greek lasagna before perfect for my after office meals everyday will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
    Ania
    Ania:
    Awesome, hope you will enjoy it! It will keep you fed for days! Goes well with a big green salad. x Ania
Deb:
Hi Ania, This recipe looks so good and compliant with my diet except for the nutritional yeast...what would be a good substitute ?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Deb,
    You could use another tsp of miso paste (but dial down salt) or maybe a tiny amount of marmite (if you can have it). Don't worry roasted garlic, nutmeg and miso provide plenty of flavour so you can skip it too if you wish. Hope this helps! Ania
DON'T MISS A SINGLE RECIPE
Join our mailing list and we we will let you know when we publish a new recipe. You'll receive our DELIGHTFUL DESSERTS E-BOOK as a thank you for supporting us.