Lasagna

Lasagna is a traditional Italian dish made with layers of pasta, meat or vegetables, and cheese, typically covered with a tomato or cream-based sauce. It is often baked in an oven and served as a main course. There are many variations of lasagna, such as meat lasagna, vegetable lasagna, and seafood lasagna.

 Ingredients for Lasagna

1 lb ground beef, (15-20% fat content)

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry red wine, or beef broth

1 Tbsp olive oil

24 oz Marinara Sauce , (3 cups)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

✅Ingredients for Cheese Sauce:

16 oz low-fat cottage cheese

15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese

1 large egg

2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

✅Instructions

How to Make Meat Sauce:

Place a deep pan or dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 lb ground beef and diced onion. Saute, breaking up the meat, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Add pressed garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant. 

Add 1/4 cup wine and stir for 2 minutes or until wine is nearly evaporated. Add 3 cups marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 Tbsp parsley. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook 5 minutes. 

How to Make Cheese Sauce:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 16 oz Cottage Cheese, 15 oz Ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 egg and 2 Tbsp parsley. Mix well.

How to Make Lasagna:

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and 9 lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente according to package instructions.

Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce in the bottom of a deep 9×13 casserole dish. Add 3 noodles, spread on 1/3 of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon on and spread the top with 1/2 of your cheese sauce. 

Repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles:

Add 3 noodles, 1/3 meat sauce, 1 cup mozarella cheese, 1/2 cheese sauce

Add 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 meat sauce, remaining 1 cup mozarella. 

Poke 9-12 toothpicks over the surface of your lasagna (to keep the foil from sticking to the cheese). Cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes. 

Remove foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese turns golden. Let lasagna rest 30 min before slicing.