Want something for dinner that’s packed with veggies and protein? Lasagna takes some time but is SO worth the end result and it’s way better than those store-bought frozen ones. Most people use ground beef for their lasagna but I like to do a 1:1 ratio of pork to beef when I do any sort of pasta to add some flavor but also to add some fat back into the dish since we use fairly lean beef and sometimes turkey. If you choose to use ground turkey or chicken in this recipe (or any other lean meat) I highly recommend adding some sort of fat into it for both flavor and to help incorporate everything in the sauce. Don’t be fooled, fat is good for you and your joints!
Ingredients
-1 red onion -1 zucchini -1 bunch fresh spinach -1 whole garlic head -1 box lasagna noodles -32oz ricotta cheese -2 balls of mozzarella -2 eggs -1 shallot (optional) -Italian seasoning -3 jars pasta sauce -2lbs ground meat (any) -1 can tomato paste
Instructions
Step 1- Chop spinach, onion, shallot, and zucchini into small pieces. (if hiding the veggies, chop smaller). Set aside the onion and shallot from the rest. Shred both balls of mozzarella and place into fridge. (tip: place your ball in the freezer for 5-10 minutes for easier shredding and less falling apart).
Step 2- While you preheat the oven to 400F, add the onion to a large, deep pan. Add some cooking oil (I like avocado) and bring to a medium/low heat until they start to turn translucent. Once they are a bit see through, add the 2lbs of meat and begin to break up and brown it.
Step 3- Once the meat has browned, add the rest of the veggies and let them cook down. The spinach will look like too much at this stage but it cooks down I promise. Start a large pot of water to boil the noodles.
Step 4- Drain your meat mixture and add it back into the pan. Add 3 jars of pasta sauce and the tomato paste to the pan, mix. Cover and set aside.
Step 5- Add your noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package. While those cook, mix 2 eggs and the ricotta cheese into a large bowl. Add the Italian seasoning to mix in a little color, to taste.
Step 6- Drain your noodles and assemble your lasagna! Start with a small amount of sauce on the bottom, layer 3 noodles horizontally, cover with sauce/meat mixture, apply a strip of ricotta mixture along each noodle, cover with mozzarella cheese, then repeat! Once you have done 3 layers, finish off by placing 3 noodles, sauce, then covering with mozzarella cheese.
Step 7- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 400F. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes to brown the cheese. Can also broil for 5 minutes at the end to toast the cheese if desired.
