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Vegan Greek Pastitsio

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A hearty plant-based take on the classic Greek layered pasta bake—tender noodles, lentil-chickpea “meat” sauce and silky vegan béchamel, baked to golden perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound tube-shaped pasta (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups vegan Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 3 cups vegan béchamel sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped sweet or yellow onion
  • Drizzle of oil or vegetable broth, for sautéing
  • 1/2 cup dry green or brown lentils
  • 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (about 4 medium)
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup white cooking wine (optional)
  • 1/2–1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
  2. Cook pasta 2–3 minutes less than package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
  3. Whisk 2 tablespoons reserved water with tapioca starch to form a slurry; set aside.
  4. In the pasta pot over low heat, combine remaining pasta water, plant milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt; whisk in slurry until thickened.
  5. Stir in pasta and 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan; taste for seasoning and set aside.
  6. Pulse chickpeas and walnuts in a food processor to coarse crumbs.
  7. Sauté onion in a drizzle of oil or broth for 5 minutes until soft.
  8. Add chickpea-walnut mix, lentils, tomatoes and parsley; cook 5–7 minutes until tomato juices evaporate.
  9. Pour in vegetable broth, tomato sauce, wine, salt and pepper; cover and simmer 8–10 minutes. Uncover and cook until lentils are tender and sauce is thick but not dry; add broth as needed.
  10. Layer half the pasta in baking dish; spread all meat sauce over it and press down. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Add remaining pasta and press again.
  11. Pour béchamel evenly over top; sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
  12. Bake 35–40 minutes until edges are golden and center is set. Cool 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Cook pasta al dente to avoid mushy texture after baking.
  • Allow casserole to rest at least 30 minutes before cutting so layers set.
  • A 9-inch square dish yields tall layers; larger dishes produce thinner slices.
  • For richer flavor, toss pasta in vegan butter instead of milk.
  • Use green or brown lentils; red lentils become too soft.
  • Swap walnuts for sunflower seeds for a nut-free version and use gluten-free pasta for gluten free.

Nutrition

Keywords: Vegan, Greek, Pastitsio, Casserole, Lentils, Chickpeas, Dairy-Free

Find it online: https://zesticook.com/vegan-greek-pastitsio/