As the producer of the vegan television show, part of my job is to attend food expos and I’m sometimes invited to exclusive events by distributors. At one recent preview, I was gifted enormous bags of incredibly high-quality local produce and couldn’t wait to come up with recipes celebrating these vegetables and herbs. Among them were a beautiful head of radicchio and bunches of fresh sage, so I decided to make this richly flavored pesto and incorporate it into this perfect Autumn dish…

Your new Fall favorite!

This is such an aromatic dish, between the sage and garlic. Tofu ricotta is light and a perfect base for the pesto, the walnuts slightly sweetening the radicchio. Add to it the garlic-sage butter & the roasted walnuts’ warm nuttiness, and it all culminates in the perfect combination for Fall. Finish it with melted vegan mozzarella if you like! I think it’s so pretty, I prefer to keep the rosettes exposed and top them with vegan parm shavings or grated at the table before eating, if desired.

Make this for the holidays or whenever you want to take a little time for something easy yet extra-special – in just a few easy steps!

Yields: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium head radicchio

1 bunch fresh sage

4 cloves garlic

1 block firm tofu, drained, excess liquid squeezed out

1/2 cup vegan Parmesan

1 1/2 cup walnuts

6 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic powder

6 tbsp vegan butter

1 package lasagna, 6-8 sheets (I used this gluten-free lasagna)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil a large pot of water for the lasagna.

2. Set aside a few sage leaves for the garnish, 2 tbsp oil, and the butter.

3. Shred the radicchio and place in food processor along with the remaining sage leaves, walnuts, garlic cloves. Secure the lid and pulse until it becomes like a paste.

4. Add the tofu, parmesan, and garlic powder. Pulse until combined, drizzling in the olive oil until it makes a thick cream. Stir in salt & pepper to taste.

5. Soak the pasta sheets in salted hot water for 20 seconds, strain with a slotted spoon, brush each with a little olive oil so as not to stick, and lay them in a single layer on a nonstick surface or sheet pan.

6. Lightly grease a baking pan.

7. One by one, using a spatula, spread about 1/4 inch of the mixture on the lasagna sheets, roll them up, and place them in the pan.

8. Bake until the top starts to become golden.

9. Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, toss in the fresh sage leaves. Stir until it begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma.

10. Remove the baked girelle from the oven. Plate and pour the sage butter over them and serve.

When you make this recipe, post a photo or video and tag @ Lucia’S Vegan Lifestyle! All the social handles are at the bottom of this page!