Description
A comforting, layered lasagna with ricotta, mozzarella, and a flavorful meat sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ white onion, diced (¾ cup)
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (16 ounce) container whole-milk cottage cheese (2 cups)
- 1 (15 ounce) container part skim ricotta cheese (1¾ cups)
- ¾ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
- ½ cup freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (9-ounce) box oven-ready lasagna sheets (such as Barilla)
- 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
- 2 cups loosely packed chopped fresh spinach
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook one minute. Stir in bay leaves, basil, oregano, thyme and pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.
- Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce; bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until flavors have melted and slightly thickened, 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and increase heat to med-high; season lightly with salt, and cook over medium until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer mushrooms to a small bowl to cool.
- Heat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) with rack set in middle position.
- Spread 1 ½ cups tomato sauce in bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Arrange 4 lasagna sheets in an even layer over sauce (overlapping as needed).
- Spread 1 ½ cups cottage cheese mixture over lasagna sheets.
- Sprinkle sausage in an even layer over top.
- Spread 1 ½ cups tomato sauce over meat.
- Layer another 4 lasagna sheets over top.
- Spread 1 cup cottage cheese mixture over lasagna sheets.
- Top zucchini slices, arranging in an even layer.
- Spread 1 ½ cups tomato sauce over zucchini. Layer another 4 lasagna sheets over top.
- Spread 1 cup cottage cheese mix over lasagna sheets. Sprinkle spinach in an even layer over cheese mixture followed by cooked mushrooms.
- Layer another 4 lasagna sheets over top. Spoon 1 ½ cups tomato sauce over top lasagna sheets. Spread remaining cheese mixture over top.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella and ½ cup grated Parmesan over top. Season with cracked black pepper.
- Spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick spray (or coat in olive oil). Cover lasagna tightly with foil, oil-side down.
- Bake until bubbly, 1 hour.
- Remove foil and continue baking until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes.
- Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For more flavor, try adding some chopped spinach or other vegetables to the meat mixture.
- Lasagna can be assembled a day ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg