Meals Matter

Mushroom, Sausage & Spinach Lasagna

Contributed By: EatingWell
www.eatingwell.com with permission. Photo by Ken Burris.

An Italian classic made healthier.

Ingredients

8 ounces Lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat

1 pound Lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (see Variation)

4 cups Sliced mushrooms (10 ounces)

1/4 cup Water

1 pound Frozen spinach, thawed

1 28-ounce Can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky

1/4 cup Chopped fresh basil

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound Part-skim ricotta cheese (2 cups)

8 ounces Part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Put a large pot of water on to boil.

2. Cook noodles in the boiling water until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until the sausage is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.

4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.

6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on the lasagna. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 5 up to 1 day ahead. Variation: For vegetarians, use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.

Recipe Comments

Commented by: lilysmomi

6 WeightWatcher points per serving! I added more tomato than what was called for, plus a little tomato sauce, garlic and onion. Also, I used fresh spinach instead of frozen. The lasagna set up really well and was so good! Wonderful comfort food that didn't taste "diet". Thanks for the recipe!

 

Commented by: multipurposewoman

I'd like to try this with non-gluten noodles.

 

Commented by: soscar

This recipe needs much more tomato mixture than it calls for.

 

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Recipe Details

Total Preparation Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Ingredients: Pork
Actual Cooking Time: 1.5 hours
Number of Servings: More than 10
Origin: Italian
Special Features: Make Ahead

Nutrition Content: Good Source of Calcium
High Fiber
Meal Type: Lunch

Nutrient Information

Calories: 316
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Protein: 26g
Vitamin A: 4500 IU
Calcium: 350 mg
Sodium: 681mg
Iron: 2.7 mg
Fiber: 6g