Best 5 Healthy Lasagna Recipes

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Lasagna is a classic Italian dish that is enjoyed by people all over the world. However, traditional lasagna is often high in calories, fat, and sodium. If you're looking for a healthier way to enjoy this delicious dish, there are a few things you can do. First, choose lean ground beef or turkey instead of regular ground beef. You can also use part-skim or skim milk instead of whole milk, and use whole wheat lasagna noodles instead of regular noodles. Finally, be mindful of the amount of cheese you use. By making these simple changes, you can create a healthy lasagna that is just as delicious as the traditional version.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

HEALTHY LOW FAT LASAGNA



Healthy Low Fat Lasagna image

I altered the ingredients to make a lasagna for the more health-conscious. My boyfriend is not a health freak but LOVED this dish. Very easy to freeze leftovers and just pop back in the oven for 1.5 hours when you want to have it again for dinner. Let me know what you think! --_^

Provided by Mimosas for Mr and

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 1h50m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (46 ounce) jar Ragu tomato sauce or 1 (46 ounce) jar other pasta sauce
1 lb lean ground turkey
16 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
12 ounces fat free mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 Egg Beaters egg substitute
1 (1 lb) package lasagna noodle, cooked

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, cook ground turkey, onion& garlic in a combination of the oil and nonstick cooking spray. Add sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
  • In a medium sized bowl, mix ricotta,1 cup mozzarella, all of Parmesan and the eggstirs.
  • In 9x13 baking dish, layer 2 cups sauce, half of noodles, half of remaining sauce, all of ricotta mixture, half of what is left of the mozzarella, remaining noodles & sauce.
  • Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until hot.
  • Uncover, top with remaining mozzarella.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle some Parmesan on top, let cool down for 15 minutes, and Enjoy your healthy, yet delectable, meal -- with plenty of leftovers to boot!

EASY, HEALTHY VEGETARIAN LASAGNA



Easy, Healthy Vegetarian Lasagna image

Simple to make and very tasty. It freezes amazingly well (largely because of how juicy it is...see Note below). One thing to note about this recipe is that the primary flavor is of fresh, delicious vegetables. I highly recommend not skimping on: salt, pepper, or garlic unless you are going to doctor it with your own spices. I sometimes throw in some dried oregano or some red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Provided by TaraLaGuera

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 55m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

9 lasagna noodles (cooked as directed on box...usually 8-9 minutes)
50 ounces pasta sauce (2 jars)
2 medium zucchini (sliced thinly)
2 roma tomatoes (sliced thinly)
1 red bell pepper (sliced thinly, vertically)
1/2 medium red onion (sliced thinly)
10 white button mushrooms (sliced thinly)
1 small head of broccoli (stem removed, cut into small pieces)
10 leaves basil (thinly sliced)
10 ounces mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese (shredded or grated)
14 ounces fat-free ricotta cheese
2 medium eggs
3 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)
6 ounces spinach
salt and pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • In a large bowl combine spinach, ricotta cheese, eggs, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • In a deep 9x13 lasagna pan, add a few oz of the pasta sauce to lightly coat the bottom. Add 3 lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan with out overlapping the noodles.
  • Add half the ricotta/spinach mixture by dolloping it onto the noodles, sprinkle zucchini, tomato slices, broccoli, onion, mushrooms and bell pepper slices. Add 20 or so oz (the rest of the first jar of pasta sauce), covering the veggies.
  • On the next layer, add 3 more lasagna noodles, the other half of the spinach and ricotta mixture, the rest of the veggies, and half a jar of pasta sauce.
  • Then, to finish it off, layer the remaining lasagna noodles, the rest of the pasta sauce, and the parmigiano-reggiano cheese as well as the mozzarella.
  • Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Let sit for 10 minutes after removing from oven to allow liquids to be reabsorbed by veggies.
  • NOTE: As mentioned in the comments, this is a very thick lasagna and there is often a lot of liquid in the pan. It is best to let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes after removing from the oven to let it absorb some of the liquid. Adding salt to remove liquid as suggested is a great idea if you plan on eating the entire lasagna the day it is made/soon after. However, this lasagna freezes and reheats VERY well and that is largely because the excess liquid when it is originally made helps keep the lasagna moist after being reheated in the microwaving process. Another way to reduce the amount of liquid is to use the type of noodles that you don't have to pre-cook, however, I prefer the texture of the ones that need precooking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 320.8, Fat 11.7, SaturatedFat 5.2, Cholesterol 52.1, Sodium 822.3, Carbohydrate 39.3, Fiber 6.7, Sugar 15.6, Protein 15.9

HEALTHY SPINACH & COTTAGE CHEESE LASAGNA



Healthy Spinach & Cottage Cheese Lasagna image

An easy, quick, and healthy vegetarian lasagna that substitutes cottage for ricotta. It's from Martha Rose Shulman's column in the New York Times, "Recipe For Health". MAKE AHEAD: The lasagna can be assembled up to a day ahead of time, covered with plastic and refrigerated. Replace the plastic with foil before baking. It can also be frozen for up to a month.

Provided by blucoat

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 50m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese or 1 1/2 cups low fat cottage cheese
2 1/2 cups fresh tomato sauce (made with canned tomatoes) or 2 1/2 cups simple marinara sauce (made with canned tomatoes)
12 ounces Baby Spinach or 1 generous bunch spinach, stemmed and washed
salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F Oil a 2-quart baking dish or lasagna dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Place the cottage cheese in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and blend until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, and blend until smooth. Scrape into a bowl.
  • Wash the spinach, and wilt in a large frying pan over high heat in the water left on the leaves after washing. Transfer to a colander, rinse briefly and squeeze out excess water. Chop fine (by hand or in a food processor), then stir the spinach into the cottage cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add enough lasagna noodles to cover the surface of the baking dish (for my rectangular dish, that's three lasagna noodles). Boil just until the pasta is flexible, about two or three minutes for no-boil lasagna. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the water, and drain on a clean dish towel. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, and top with a layer of noodles. Top the noodles with a third of the cottage cheese mixture. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the noodles. Top with 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
  • Repeat these layers two more times, using up the cottage cheese/spinach mixture but retaining tomato sauce and Parmesan for the top layer. Cook one more batch of lasagna noodles, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle on the bread crumbs, and drizzle on the olive oil. Cover tightly with foil, place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbling. If you wish to brown the top, uncover and continue to bake until the top just begins to color, about five minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to sit for five to 10 minutes, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 151, Fat 5.5, SaturatedFat 2, Cholesterol 9.9, Sodium 746.5, Carbohydrate 14, Fiber 3, Sugar 5.6, Protein 13.1

HEALTHY LASAGNA



Healthy Lasagna image

Clock full of winter veggies and cheese -- a healthier version to a family favorite! This can also be made a day ahead -- just put in the fridge and add 10-15 minutes to baking time when ready to cook! If you freeze the unbaked lasagna (can keep in the freezer for up to one month) - add 1 1/4 hours to baking time if cooked while still frozen -- an emergency meal life safer! Recipe source: Sunset (February 2008)

Provided by ellie_

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 2h

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled (1 minced, 2 left whole)
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans tomatoes, crushed
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 lb kale
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • In a large pot over medium heat heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir in onion and minced garlic (1 clove). Cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in tomatoes, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thick. Set aside.
  • While the sauce is cooking in a 12 x 15 inch baking pan, place squash and sprinkle with the thyme, remaining olive oil and remaining salt and pepper. Add whole garlic cloves (2) and toss. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until squash is soft. While squash is cooking in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
  • Transfer squash mixture to a food processor and puree.
  • Tear kale leaves from ribs --discard ribs. Boil leaves for 5-10 minutes or until soft. Drain and let cool.
  • In the same pot bring another 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions (10 minutes); drain and rinse with cold water.
  • In a bowl mix together the ricotta, nutmeg, 1 cup of mozzarella and the remaining salt and pepper (1/2 tsp each).
  • In a 9 x 13 inch pan pour in 1/3 of the tomato sauce, lay 3 noodles over and top with squash. Sprinkle 1/2 of the kale over. Arrange 3 more noodles on top and top with ricotta and remaining kale leaves and the noodles. Cover with remaining tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella.
  • Bake for 30 minutes and let stand 10 minutes before serving. For make ahead directions see description.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 324.2, Fat 18.2, SaturatedFat 7.5, Cholesterol 39.6, Sodium 571.4, Carbohydrate 27.5, Fiber 4.8, Sugar 6.1, Protein 16.7

QUICK AND HEALTHY LASAGNA



quick and healthy lasagna image

Can't give up lasagna? Try this low-fat version instead!! I got this recipe from a friend. If you must, add ground turkey or beef.

Provided by Chef Christine

Categories     European

Time 1h10m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 cups spaghetti sauce (less than 4g of fat per 4 ounces)
3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 box uncooked lasagna noodle

Steps:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • Use a non-stick spray to grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan.
  • Mix ricotta cheese, parsley, and garlic.
  • Pour one cup of sauce onto the bottom of baking pan.
  • Arrange 1/3 of the noodles in the pan.
  • Make sure they touch but do not overlap Spread half of the cheese mixture over noodles.
  • Top with half of the mozzarella cheese.
  • Pour another cup of sauce, add another layer of noodles, and the remainder of the sauce Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake it covered tightly with aluminum foil for about one hour.

Tips:

  • Use a variety of vegetables: This will add flavor, texture, and nutrients to your lasagna. Some good choices include zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers.
  • Don't overcook the vegetables: They should be tender but still have a bit of a bite to them.
  • Use low-fat cheese: This will help to reduce the fat and calories in your lasagna.
  • Make your own sauce: This is a great way to control the ingredients and flavor of your lasagna. You can also use a store-bought sauce, but be sure to choose one that is low in sodium and sugar.
  • Don't skimp on the cheese: Cheese is what makes lasagna so delicious! Just be sure to use a low-fat cheese to keep the calories in check.
  • Let the lasagna rest before serving: This will help the flavors to meld and the lasagna to set. It will also make it easier to cut.

Conclusion:

Lasagna is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. By following these tips, you can make a healthy lasagna that is packed with flavor and nutrients. So next time you're looking for a satisfying and comforting meal, give lasagna a try!

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