The perfect wholesome lasagna made with a selfmade 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 and love, however with just a little Consuming Fowl Meals twist.
We’re utilizing entire wheat lasagna noodles for extra vitamin and lean floor beef or turkey and cottage cheese for a protein enhance.
In the event you 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 positively going to need to give this lasagna a strive. It’s assured to be a success 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 happy.
- Feeds a crowd – This recipe makes an enormous batch so it’s the proper 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 blended in.
- More healthy – I used entire wheat noodles, lean floor meat, added veggies and swapped . ricotta for cottage cheese, which provides extra protein.
Elements Wanted
- lean floor beef or turkey – a fantastic supply of protein, and utilizing 93% lean or greater retains the dish mild with out sacrificing taste.
- yellow onion and garlic – two must-have elements for the sauce.
- crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste – these three work collectively to create a wealthy, flavorful selfmade 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 stated, you may completely use full-fat cottage cheese, your fats content material will simply be greater.
- mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese – I extremely advocate shopping for a block of mozzarella and parmesan and shredding them your self for the very best outcomes!
- egg – binds the cheese combination collectively, giving it a fantastic texture within the lasagna layers.
- lasagna noodles – I like utilizing entire 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 need to use oven-ready noodles or noodles that you must cook dinner first. If cooking the noodles your self, simply cook dinner till al dente so that they don’t get too mushy whereas baking.
- child spinach – for little veggie enhance so as to add some vitamin!
Discover the complete ingredient record with measurements within the recipe card under.
Recipe Substitutions
- Floor meat: You need to use floor rooster, Italian sausage, and even go meatless with a plant-based floor meat or additional veggies like mushrooms and zucchini. Simply maintain the identical cooking methodology for the very best outcomes!
- Cottage cheese: In the event you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, ricotta works nicely right here too. You’ll nonetheless get that creamy layer within the lasagna, however remember that cottage cheese provides a pleasant protein enhance.
- Balsamic vinegar: This provides just a little depth to the sauce, however if you happen to don’t have any available, a splash of purple wine or apple cider vinegar will work in a pinch.
- Child spinach: Kale or Swiss chard are nice swaps for spinach! Simply ensure that to cut them finely so that they mix into the layers nicely.
- Add spice: In the event you’re a fan of spice, think about including some purple pepper flakes to the bottom meat because it cooks.
The way 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 means of.
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 high.
Step 5: Unfold half of the cottage cheese combination on high of the noodles.
Step 6: Add one other layer of the meat sauce on high 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 high.
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: In the event you’re utilizing floor beef, particularly a less-lean possibility, remember to 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: In the event you’re utilizing noodles you must cook dinner earlier than, ensure 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 below are some concepts:
The way to Retailer Leftovers
This lasagna makes an enormous batch so it’s excellent for meal prep! Right here’s find out 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 would 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 means of. If it’s frozen, prolong the heating time, and think about overlaying with foil to forestall the highest from drying out.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
It is determined by the kind of noodles you purchase. In the event you purchase oven-ready noodles then there isn’t a have to cook dinner them earlier than assembling the lasagna. In the event you aren’t capable of finding oven-ready noodles (like me!) then you definately’ll have to cook dinner the noodles till al dente earlier than assembling your lasagna. Cooking them slightly below helps them maintain up throughout baking with out changing into too delicate.
The oven is your greatest guess for reheating lasagna whereas retaining it moist. Cowl it with foil and bake at 350°F till heated by means of. For microwaving, add a splash of water or sauce to maintain it from drying out.
Positively! In the event you’re prepping for a busy weeknight dinner or vacation meal, you may make your lasagna prematurely to avoid wasting you time on the day you need to serve it. To make prematurely, simply assemble as directed then cowl and retailer your unbaked lasagna within the fridge for 1-2 days. If you’re able to get pleasure from, 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 a substitute of your entire 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 get pleasure from, assemble and bake as directed.
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