The very best wholesome lasagna made with a home made tomato sauce, lean floor meat and cottage cheese. It’s comforting, filled with protein and ideal for feeding a crowd.
Lasagna has such a particular place in my coronary heart — it’s tacky, scrumptious and the final word consolation meals. This wholesome lasagna that I’m sharing has all of the traditional flavors you understand and love, however with somewhat Consuming Chicken Meals twist.
We’re utilizing complete wheat lasagna noodles for extra diet and lean floor beef or turkey and cottage cheese for a protein enhance.
For those who love hearty, more healthy spins on consolation meals classics like my straightforward baked ziti, cottage cheese mac and cheese or baked eggplant parmesan, you’re undoubtedly going to need to give this lasagna a attempt. It’s assured to be successful with the entire household!
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna
- Protein-packed – With the addition of lean floor beef or turkey and cottage cheese, this lasagna is loaded with protein to maintain you full and glad.
- Feeds a crowd – This recipe makes an enormous batch so it’s the right dinner for feeding a crowd and doubles as a fantastic meal prep recipe.
- Household-approved – Even choosy eaters will love this dish! My youngsters are obsessed. The flavors are traditional and the additional veggies are subtly combined in.
- More healthy – I used complete wheat noodles, lean floor meat, added veggies and swapped. ricotta for cottage cheese, which provides extra protein.
Components Wanted
- lean floor beef or turkey – a fantastic supply of protein, and utilizing 93% lean or larger retains the dish gentle with out sacrificing taste.
- yellow onion and garlic – two must-have components for the sauce.
- crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste – these three work collectively to create a wealthy, flavorful home made tomato sauce.
- dried herbs – you’ll want dried basil, oregano, parsley and thyme so as to add all these traditional Italian flavors to the sauce. It’s also possible to use Italian seasoning if that’s what you will have available.
- cottage cheese – I used low-fat cottage cheese for a lighter possibility that also provides a ton of protein and creaminess with out the additional fats. That mentioned, you may completely use full-fat cottage cheese, your fats content material will simply be larger.
- mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese – I extremely suggest shopping for a block of mozzarella and parmesan and shredding them your self for one of the best outcomes!
- egg – binds the cheese combination collectively, giving it a fantastic texture within the lasagna layers.
- lasagna noodles – I like utilizing complete wheat noodles after I can discover them as a result of it provides a bit extra fiber to this dish, however common noodles will work simply as nicely. You should utilize oven-ready noodles or noodles that it’s a must to cook dinner first. If cooking the noodles your self, simply cook dinner till al dente in order that they don’t get too mushy whereas baking.
- child spinach – for little veggie enhance so as to add some diet!
Discover the complete ingredient listing with measurements within the recipe card beneath.
Recipe Substitutions
- Floor meat: You should utilize floor hen, Italian sausage, and even go meatless with a plant-based floor meat or additional veggies like mushrooms and zucchini. Simply preserve the identical cooking technique for one of the best outcomes!
- Cottage cheese: For those who’re not a fan of cottage cheese, ricotta works nicely right here too. You’ll nonetheless get that creamy layer within the lasagna, however understand that cottage cheese provides a pleasant protein enhance.
- Balsamic vinegar: This provides somewhat depth to the sauce, however when you don’t have any available, a splash of pink wine or apple cider vinegar will work in a pinch.
- Child spinach: Kale or Swiss chard are nice swaps for spinach! Simply be certain that to cut them finely in order that they mix into the layers nicely.
- Add spice: For those who’re a fan of spice, take into account including some pink pepper flakes to the bottom meat because it cooks.
Methods to Make Wholesome Lasagna
Step 1: Cook dinner the bottom beef or turkey with the onion and garlic in a skillet till browned and cooked by.
Step 2: Stir within the tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar and seasonings. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3: Whereas the sauce is simmering add the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic and spinach to a mixing bowl. Stir to mix.
Step 4: Preheat your oven to 375°F and unfold a meat sauce layer on the underside of a 9×13 baking dish. Then layer 3 lasagna noodles on prime.
Step 5: Unfold half of the cottage cheese combination on prime of the noodles.
Step 6: Add one other layer of the meat sauce on prime of the cheese combination.
Step 7: Repeat the layers as soon as extra, ending with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on prime.
Step 8: Cowl the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Take away the foil and bake for an extra 10-Quarter-hour, till the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve heat!
Brittany’s Suggestions!
- Drain extra grease: For those who’re utilizing floor beef, particularly a less-lean possibility, you should definitely drain any extra grease after browning. This retains the lasagna from changing into too oily and lets the flavors shine.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: For those who’re utilizing noodles it’s a must to cook dinner earlier than, be certain that to cook dinner simply till al dente because the noodles will proceed to cook dinner within the oven. Overcooked pasta can develop into mushy and unappetizing.
- Use freshly shredded cheese: Pre-shredded cheese typically has anti-caking brokers that may have an effect on the way it melts. For the creamiest, meltiest layers, shred your mozzarella and Parmesan contemporary.
Serving Strategies
This wholesome lasagna is a meal in itself, however there are many methods to spherical it out. Listed here are some concepts:
Methods to Retailer Leftovers
This lasagna makes an enormous batch so it’s excellent for meal prep! Right here’s learn how to retailer leftovers:
- Within the fridge: Permit the lasagna to chill to room temperature. Then cowl the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or switch the leftovers to an hermetic container. It can final 4-5 days within the fridge.
- Within the freezer: Lasagna freezes fantastically. As soon as cooled, switch to a freezer-safe container or wrap the baking dish nicely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It may be frozen for 1-2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat within the oven at 350°F till it’s heated by. If it’s frozen, prolong the heating time, and take into account overlaying with foil to stop the highest from drying out.
Incessantly Requested Questions
It depends upon the kind of noodles you purchase. For those who purchase oven-ready noodles then there is no such thing as a must cook dinner them earlier than assembling the lasagna. For those who aren’t capable of finding oven-ready noodles (like me!) you then’ll must cook dinner the noodles till al dente earlier than assembling your lasagna. Cooking them just below helps them maintain up throughout baking with out changing into too mushy.
The oven is your greatest guess for reheating lasagna whereas conserving it moist. Cowl it with foil and bake at 350°F till heated by. For microwaving, add a splash of water or sauce to maintain it from drying out.
Positively! For those who’re prepping for a busy weeknight dinner or vacation meal, you may make your lasagna upfront to save lots of you time on the day you need to serve it. To make upfront, simply assemble as directed then cowl and retailer your unbaked lasagna within the fridge for 1-2 days. Whenever you’re able to take pleasure in, bake as directed, maybe including just a few additional minutes to the cooking time because you’re ranging from chilly.
It’s also possible to prep parts of the lasagna forward of time as an alternative of your complete recipe. To do that, cook dinner your noodles and meat sauce and mix your cheese spinach combination then retailer every thing in separate containers within the fridge till able to assemble. When able to take pleasure in, assemble and bake as directed.
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