Lasagna (Gluten, Grain and Dairy-Free, Whole30, Paleo)
This guilt-free lasagna has everything that makes lasagna yummy, yet no gluten, grain, or dairy to trigger many common food sensitivities. It’s even Paleo and Whole30 compliant! Who ever thought one could say that about lasagna??? While it may be a bit unconventional, this lasagna is so packed with natural flavor that you’ll never miss the cheese or noodles! The key to this recipe is the substitution of layers of rolled-out yuca (a.k.a. cassava) in place of noodles. This not only makes it more fun, it increases the nutritional value of the dish!
Yuca is a root vegetable with a low glycemic (GI of 46) and a significant amount of vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It’s a non-GMO, Paleo, Whole30 approved source of non-inflammatory carbohydrate that’s a significant source of resistant starch. This means it’s a prebiotic food that supports colon health by feeding probiotic bacteria in the colon. (This type of fiber is seriously lacking in the Standard American Diet.) See” Yuca Nutrition Facts for more info on the benefits of adding yuca/cassava to one’s diet.
This lasagna is not only healthy, it’s DELICIOUS!!! It exemplifies how yuca/cassava can be used to transform typical “gluten-full” dishes into fun and hearty gluten-free delicacies! Yuca truly is the chameleon of foods! Discover more about cooking and baking with yuca by clicking the links below and by checking out the recipe tab above!
See: Getting to Know Yuca/Cassava
See: Buying, Storing, Peeling and Cooking with Yuca
Vegan Option: Customize this lasagna by doubling the vegetables and including 2 layers of veggies in between layers of rolled-out yuca (instead of one layer of vegetables and a second of ground meat.)
Making Lasagna (Gluten, Grain, and Dairy-Free, Paleo, Whole30)
(Printer-friendly recipe below)
Links to recommended pantry items can be found in the shopping tab above or by clicking on the ingredient listed below.
Ingredients for yuca layers (6-8 servings)
-1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen yuca. (Fresh yuca must first be peeled. Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut into pieces. See picture above)
-3/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt -divided
-3/4 teaspoon garlic powder -divided
-1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast -divided
-1 tablespoon avocado oil -divided – (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-*parchment paper – (Parchment paper is key in working with yuca dough, as it’s very sticky.)
–Vitamix or other food processor
Ingredients for vegetable layer
-1 large organic onion – chopped
-1 organic leek – chopped
-2 organic zucchini – chopped
-1 organic red pepper – chopped
-1-2 cups organic broccoli – chopped
-1 6 oz bag organic spinach
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt – or more if desired. (I use pink Himalayan salt for all cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)
-1 teaspoon dried organic basil
-1 teaspoon dried organic oregano
-1 teaspoon dried organic parsley
-1/2 teaspoon dried organic marjoram
-black pepper – to taste
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
Ingredients for meat layer – (omit for Vegan option)
-1 pound ground organic grass-fed beef, chicken, or turkey
-1 cup organic tomato sauce – (I LOVE Organic Paesana Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce!)
-a pinch of pink Himalayan salt or garlic powder may be desired – to taste
Instructions for Yuca Layers
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
-*If using fresh yuca it must be peeled and cut into 3 pieces before boiling. See: How to peel fresh yuca. Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut into pieces. *There is no need to defrost frozen yuca before boiling.
-Place peeled, cut fresh yuca or frozen yuca into pot of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes – until fork tender. *Do not over-cook or yuca will become mushy and very difficult to work with.
-Drain water immediately and allow to cool.
-Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half from top to bottom to remove stick-like stem that runs through the center.
-Cut into bite-sized chunks.
-To form each of 3 yuca layers, place 1 1/3 cups yuca chunks (1/3 of total) along with 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast, and 1 teaspoon avocado oil into food processor (I use a Vitamix) and pulverize for 30-60 seconds until a dough is formed. *Do not place more than 1 1/3 cups yuca in food processor at a time or machine may overheat.
-Place each of 3 yuca dough balls on parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out each yuca layer between 2 pieces of parchment. If yuca dough seems too sticky to work with, place into freezer for a few minutes before rolling out. See: Tips for Handling Sticky Dough
Instructions for Vegetable Layer
-Chop onion, leek, zucchini, red pepper and broccoli, and place into heated pan along with avocado oil, salt, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, and black pepper. Saute for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Instructions for Meat Layer (Omit for Vegan option)
-Brown ground meat until no longer pink.
-Add 1 cup Organic Paesana Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce (or tomato sauce of choice.)
Assembling Lasagna Layers (I use an oval baking dish about 8″ wide by 11″ long)
-Spoon tomato sauce to cover bottom of lasagna pan to prevent yuca layer from sticking to pan during cooking.
-Carefully lay one yuca layer over tomato sauce. *Yuca dough is very sticky. Either coat fingers with a gluten-free flour such as cassava, tapioca, or arrowroot while handling it, or place yuca layer along with bottom layer of parchment on top of sauce layer, then peel back parchment to transfer yuca layer to baking dish.
-Spoon meat layer evenly over yuca layer.
-Place a second yuca layer on top of meat layer.
-Spoon vegetable layer evenly over second yuca layer.
-Place third yuca layer on top of vegetable layer. Brush with a thin layer of avocado oil, and sprinkle with a touch of salt, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast.
-Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Broil for the last 3 minutes if browning is desired on top. Keep an eye on it during broiling to avoid burning.
Enjoy!!!
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Check out the yuca/cassava snacks! – All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of the recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
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This gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free lasagna may be unconventional, but it's so packed with flavor that you'll never miss the cheese or noodles! Layers of rolled-out yuca (a.k.a. cassava) are used as a perfect substitute for pasta, while increasing the nutritional value of the dish! This lasagna is healthy, delicious, and exemplifies how yuca can be used to transform typical "gluten-full" dishes into fun and hearty gluten-free delicacies!
- -1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen yuca.
- -3/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt - divided
- -3/4 teaspoon garlic powder - divided
- -1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast - divided
- -1 tablespoon avocado oil - divided - (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
- -1 large organic onion - chopped
- -1 organic leek - chopped
- -2 organic zucchini - chopped
- -1 organic red pepper - chopped
- -1-2 cups organic broccoli - chopped
- -One 6 oz bag organic spinach
- -1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt - or more if desired. I use pink Himalayan salt for all cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.
- -1 teaspoon dried organic basil
- -1 teaspoon dried organic oregano
- -1 teaspoon dried organic parsley
- -1/2 teaspoon dried organic marjoram
- -black pepper - to taste
- -1 tablespoon avocado oil
- -1 pound ground organic grass-fed beef, chicken, or turkey
- -1 cup organic tomato sauce - I LOVE Organic Paesana Pasta Sauce!
- -a pinch of pink Himalayan salt or garlic powder may be desired - to taste
-
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
-
-*If using fresh yuca it must be peeled and cut into 3 pieces before boiling. See: How to peel fresh yuca. Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut into pieces.
-
-Place peeled, cut fresh yuca or frozen yuca into pot of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes until fork tender. There is no need to defrost frozen yuca before boiling. *Do not over-cook or yuca will become mushy and very difficult to work with.
-
-Drain water immediately and allow to cool.
-
-Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half from top to bottom to remove stick-like stem that runs through the center, then cut into chunks.
-
-To form each of 3 yuca layers, place 1 1/3 cups yuca chunks (1/3 of the total) along with 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast, and 1 teaspoon avocado oil into food processor and pulverize for 30-60 seconds until a dough is formed. *Do not place more than 1 1/3 cups yuca in food processor at a time or it could overheat machine.
-
-Place each of 3 yuca dough balls on parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out each yuca layer between 2 pieces of parchment. If yuca dough seems too sticky to work with, place into freezer for a few minutes before rolling out. See: Tips for Handling Sticky Dough
-
-Chop onion, leek, zucchini, red pepper, broccoli and place into heated pan along with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, and black pepper. Saute for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
-
-Brown ground meat in pan.
-
-Add 1 cup Organic Paesana Tomato Sauce (or tomato sauce of choice)
-
-Spoon tomato sauce to cover bottom of lasagna pan. This will prevent yuca layer from sticking to pan during cooking.
-
-Carefully lay one yuca layer over tomato sauce. *Yuca dough is very sticky. Either coat fingers with a gluten-free flour such as cassava, tapioca, or arrowroot flour while handling it, or place yuca layer along with bottom layer of parchment on top of sauce layer, then peel back parchment to transfer yuca layer to baking dish.
-
-Spoon meat layer evenly over yuca layer.
-
-Place a second yuca layer on top of meat layer.
-
-Spoon vegetable layer evenly over second yuca layer.
-
-Place third yuca layer on top of vegetable layer. Brush with a thin layer of avocado oil, and sprinkle with a touch of salt, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast.
-
-Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Broil for the last 3 minutes if browning yuca is desired. Keep an eye on it during broiling to avoid burning.
-
Enjoy!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
