Leaner lasagna recipe?
Francl27
Posts: 26,371 Member
I know, I could just use lower fat cheese or whatnot in my recipe, but I've actually never made lasagna so I don't have a recipe...
I don't really want to use sausage, just ground beef, and I keep seeing recipes that use cottage cheese and I'd much rather stick to ricotta... However I'm clueless about quantities etc.
I'd love to add veggies but my picky kids will probably not eat it if I do.
Also, does using lower fat cheese affect the texture a lot?
Anyway, I'd love to hear some recipes you've actually made.. I mean there are a ton online but I never know whether they are worth making or not, and I couldn't find much that uses only beef and ricotta...
Thanks in advance!
I don't really want to use sausage, just ground beef, and I keep seeing recipes that use cottage cheese and I'd much rather stick to ricotta... However I'm clueless about quantities etc.
I'd love to add veggies but my picky kids will probably not eat it if I do.
Also, does using lower fat cheese affect the texture a lot?
Anyway, I'd love to hear some recipes you've actually made.. I mean there are a ton online but I never know whether they are worth making or not, and I couldn't find much that uses only beef and ricotta...
Thanks in advance!
2
Replies
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I never make lasagna with cheese- I just use some kind of white sauce – I make it with butter – heat it and ad a bit of flour and stir together, than I put skinny milk into mixture and stir until boiling. And then I put this tick sauce with the spoon on the meat. You can use turkey ground meet instead of beef- but beef is better tasting. And I always use zucchini – before layering another slice of pasta – I make slim slices with a peeler and nobody notes it!
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I dont use cheese on my lasagne, and i use 5% beef mince to keep the calories down.1
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A friend cooked me this a few weeks ago:
http://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/beef-lasagne.aspx
It's basically the same as a regular lasagne but instead of white sauce it uses yoghurt. It sounds awful but was actually pretty good. I haven't plugged it in to the recipe builder yet so I'm not sure what the calorie count is, but it's one idea of a substitution you can make.
You can blend a lot of other vegetables up in to the tomato sauce so your kids won't even know they're eating them.
Actually I've just re-read your post and seen that you've never made a lasagne before - in that case I would just find a recipe you like the look of, cook it once and then once you've got an idea of the basic method you can work out what changes you can make next time.1 -
Try replacing the pasta with some kind of veggie. Here's a low-carb recipe with spinach: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1204192
I'll be doing cauliflower this week...pizza or maybe lasagna.1 -
Just eat regular lasagna and don't eat half the pan.7
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I love this recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/spinach-lasagna-rolls/. You could leave the spinach out so your kids will eat it.1
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Make meat sauce, make noodles. Layer sauce and noodles with ricotta and mozzarella between layers. Parm too if you like - top with cheese. Bake covered until heated through and all layers are melty, uncover and brown top. Let sit before serving. Some cool and bake again next day so flavors can meld. You can add meatballs to layers if you're feeling adventurous.1 -
You can hide veggies in the tomato sauce--just blend it all together when the kids aren't looking. And if you don't like cottage cheese, just don't use cottage cheese. And I'm with you on using ground beef instead of sausage.
I would say pick a recipe and use it as a guideline the first time. It might not be exactly how you like it, but you can tweak it the next time.1 -
sharnut751 wrote: »I love this recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/spinach-lasagna-rolls/. You could leave the spinach out so your kids will eat it.
I've done those and they were tasty.
Make meat sauce, make noodles. Layer sauce and noodles with ricotta and mozzarella between layers. Parm too if you like - top with cheese. Bake covered until heated through and all layers are melty, uncover and brown top. Let sit before serving. Some cool and bake again next day so flavors can meld. You can add meatballs to layers if you're feeling adventurous.
Yeah I might just have to guess. Some people put egg in the ricotta mixture though?
I would add carrots in the sauce but my kids WILL see it.0 -
sharnut751 wrote: »I love this recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/spinach-lasagna-rolls/. You could leave the spinach out so your kids will eat it.
I've done those and they were tasty.
Make meat sauce, make noodles. Layer sauce and noodles with ricotta and mozzarella between layers. Parm too if you like - top with cheese. Bake covered until heated through and all layers are melty, uncover and brown top. Let sit before serving. Some cool and bake again next day so flavors can meld. You can add meatballs to layers if you're feeling adventurous.
Yeah I might just have to guess. Some people put egg in the ricotta mixture though?
I would add carrots in the sauce but my kids WILL see it.
Never did the egg. I don't think just tossing in vegetables for the heck of it is necessary, but if you like the flavor put the carrots in a food processor and mince them. Sauté them with your onions if using, or just by themselves if you aren't using anything else when you start your sauce. They will blend right into the sauce as it simmers assuming you're making your own and not just heating up a jar.0 -
extra_medium wrote: »
@extra_medium
Already clicked awesome but do love the response as it was my first thought as well.
Regarding ideas...I'm looking forward to making eggplant lasagna, have tried it already prepared but never made it myself. OMG...it was ridiculously delicious...if you haven't tried it, you might just be keen on this enough to never care if you go back to regular lasagna again.
Wondering if it might be on Skinny Taste site as well? I'll share it if I have a bit of extra time this morning after my workout and PT.
@sharnut751 this one sounds good, also have seen lasagna roll up where you lay the noodle flat and you roll it up and put it in the muffin pan, somewhat similar to the recipe sharnut751 shared. It ends up looking rather like a pinwheel when you look at them in the pan.
Eggplant is on sale so it's reminded me of trying out the recipe again.
@Francl27
Definitely be sure to come back and share what you end up making and how you like it and of course the source!
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You can use spaghetti squash in place of noodles. I also blend my veggies and add to the meat; lean gr. beef, turkey/chicken or meatless Morning Star Farms griller crumbles and my husband never notices the veggies. I do add low fat cottage cheese. For my sauce I just use heart healthy Ragu or Prego (or you can make your own tomato based sauce and season it up). Sometimes I use low fat mozzerella or provolone and sometimes I don't use cheese at all.
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My go-to recipe is this:
9 lasagna noodles
1 lb 97/3 ground beef
1 jar pasta sauce of choice (I like Prego's three cheese sauce)
1/2 cup part skim ricotta
1/4 cup reduced fat grated Parmesan
2 oz baby spinach, chopped
1 cup (4oz) finely shredded part-skim mozzarella
1. Soak the noodles in hot water while you prepare the sauce. No need to actually boil/cook them. Make sure you layer the noodles on the bottom, then create an X with the next layer, and so on, so the noodles don't get stuck together. I just layer them in a baking dish and pour the boiling water on top.
2. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and season with garlic and onion powder.
3. Heat the jar of sauce + 1/3 jar of water and add the ricotta, half the Parmesan, ground beef, and the spinach until it's hot all the way through and the spinach is wilted.
4. Take a square baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and put some of the sauce mixture on the bottom - just enough to cover the bottom of the dish. Add three of the now softened noodles, cutting them so they fit in the pan if necessary. Add more of the sauce mixture on top - enough to cover the noodles well. Then the next layer of noodles, then sauce again.
5. Top with the other half of the Parmesan and the mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake covered in foil for 45 minutes at 375F. Then bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
I split this into 4 big servings for about 550 calories each, but you could do smaller servings if need be. I do count all 9 noodles even though I cut the ends off, but feel free to adjust the calories as you see fit. My husband is like a kid when it comes to vegetables and he says he can't taste the spinach in it. This is one of our favorite Sunday night dinners - SO good!1 -
Meat sauce - use whatever ground meat in a 1-to-1 ratio that the recipe calls for and that you're comfortable eating be it ground beef, ground lamb, ground pork/sausage, veal, chicken, turkey, etc. For super lean meats, you'll want to brown it with a little oil to give the finished dish some moisture.
Cheese - ricotta can be used in place of cottage cheese but it will be a drier texture. You'll want to mix an egg with the ricotta or cottage cheese mixture to help "glue" it together and give it some extra moisture. For the mozzarella part, I've done fresh, shredded, and sliced from the deli counter. We're cheese people so we usually go for the sliced for more coverage. I like both cottage cheese and ricotta versions so it's a personal preference for you. Some people can't get past the cottage cheese texture and some people can't get past the dryness of ricotta.
Veggies - I usually add chopped onions and fresh mushrooms to my meat when browning it. Since my go-to lasagna recipe calls for simmering the meat sauce for 45 minutes after adding the tomato products, it gives it lots of time to cook the veggies. This would also be a good spot to add shredded carrots, zucchini, or chopped spinach if you wanted more veggies.
My go-to recipe is based on one of the The Pioneer Woman's recipes (look for the one calling for 2 1/2 lbs of ground beef/sausage) with a meat mixture simmer time of 45 minutes.
ETA - this is a cheesy recipe so probably doesn't classify as "lean" even using low-fat products!0 -
Ok here is what mine looks like:
Quite simple and basic so you can play around. Butter and milk and flour is used before to make beschamel (the white thing people mentioned ) Flora is cooking butter so you don't get confused... onion, meat and my tomato sauce of choice - Barilla..many spices to taste, and of course some sugar because of tomato sauce...I let it stay with more liquid because it makes for tastier and not dry lasagnas... I use all sorts of cheeses but Mozzarella is the main one that has to be there 
I also use parmigan and a bit of regular cheese only on top (that's the Oltermaani juusto here). I use lasagna disks that don't have to be precooked. I use 9 disks - 3 rows of pasta and end it on top with meat and cheese- between every layer is bechamel as well... It's my favorite food n the world honestly and I've never gotten anything but praise for this one It makes for 4 nice sized servings. I keep it in oven 25-30 min at 200 celsius.
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I've used this recipe in the past and I really enjoyed it: http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/01/04/classic-lasagna/
I'm sure you could replace the italian sausage with ground beef. I actually substituted the ricotta for cottage cheese since I'm cheap and I don't mind cottage cheese in baked pasta. The recipe made 12 good-sized servings and with my modifications and ingredients it was only 434 cals, 26g protein, 21g fat, and 34g carbs per serving.0 -
I use ground turkey instead of beef or pork. Slathered in sauce, you can't taste the difference. I also use zucchini instead of noodles. There's a SkinnyTaste recipe that's absolutely amazing. It's a bit labour intensive but totally worth it. 345 cals per serving skinnytaste.com/zucchini-lasagna/0
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I made this about a year ago. It could be made even lower using skim ricotta or none at all and zucchini for the noodles.
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Hmmm....I never use a recipe for lasagna. I just throw stuff together, layer, bake, eat.
I have substituted zucchini and yellow squash for the pasta. Very good. I also make a killer vegetarian lasagna, that even picky meat eaters enjoy.1 -
Hearts_2015 wrote: »
@Francl27
Definitely be sure to come back and share what you end up making and how you like it and of course the source!
Ended up using this
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/218091/classic-and-simple-meat-lasagna/?internalSource=hn_carousel 01_Classic and Simple Meat Lasagna&referringId=16806&referringContentType=recipe hub&referringPosition=carousel 01
But doubled the meat (used 90% beef) and used 32oz of full fat ricotta and changed the quantities of cheese a bit. I used some garlic and onion pasta sauce. Could only fit 9 lasagna noodles too.
It's tasty. 4500 calories for the whole pan though LOL.
Thanks for the help everyone.0 -
I love this recipe. If making for kids, omit or reduce red pepper
Creamy spinach lasagna
Cooking light
8 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Parsley sprigs (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Calories 328
Caloriesfromfat 25 %
Fat 9.3 g
Satfat 3.8 g
Monofat 3.6 g
Polyfat 1.2 g
Protein 17.3 g
Carbohydrate 45.6 g
Fiber 6.9 g
Cholesterol 19 mg
Iron 3.1 mg
Sodium 726 mg
Calcium 371 mg0 -
We don't put meat in lasagna. It doesn't add nearly enough flavor to be worth using, I tend to save meat for things where it makes a big difference.
If for some reason I wanted to sort of de-fat it, I'd alternate layers of zuchhini ribbons with layers of pasta (would salt and squeeze it to get some of the moisture out) and use a sauce that was mostly crushed tomatoes, or slices of tomato instead of sauce maybe, but wouldn't mess with the ricotta or with the mozarella on top, that's what makes it lasagna to us.
4500 kcal for a pan doesn't sound too bad! That's like ten servings, right?0 -
Ive been making one with ground beef and Italian sausage and it uses cottage cheese! I actually love it cause it's cheaper and spreads better than ricotta. Trying to spread the ricotta mixture over wet noodles was the worst part about making lasagna! I always ran out after the second layer cause I couldn't spread it thin enough. lol0
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We don't put meat in lasagna. It doesn't add nearly enough flavor to be worth using, I tend to save meat for things where it makes a big difference.
If for some reason I wanted to sort of de-fat it, I'd alternate layers of zuchhini ribbons with layers of pasta (would salt and squeeze it to get some of the moisture out) and use a sauce that was mostly crushed tomatoes, or slices of tomato instead of sauce maybe, but wouldn't mess with the ricotta or with the mozarella on top, that's what makes it lasagna to us.
4500 kcal for a pan doesn't sound too bad! That's like ten servings, right?
It's a 9x13 pan. I had 715 calories worth and it was a pretty big portion. I like meat in it... I find that it does add flavor (and protein - my piece had 58g of protein!). I find cheese lasagna too bland typically.
I've done it with eggplant and it was very tasty, but not something the kids would eat. I'll probably still make some again soon though.Ive been making one with ground beef and Italian sausage and it uses cottage cheese! I actually love it cause it's cheaper and spreads better than ricotta. Trying to spread the ricotta mixture over wet noodles was the worst part about making lasagna! I always ran out after the second layer cause I couldn't spread it thin enough. lol
Mine put a layer of sauce first, then the ricotta. I ended up with two layers (plus the top layer). Honestly in the end it kinda turns into a saucy mess anyway once I cut pieces out.0 -
i use this spice blend in the link below for sausage seasoning. i also use ground beef in lasagna. but i like the taste of sausage lasagna. ricotta has a better texture than cottage cheese.
http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-sausage-seasoning-blend-1027180 -
This is one of my familys fav dishes. You can cook the meat & veggies ahead,then use later in the day or frozen.I add more mushrooms instead of olives. No need to layer,just mix together then bake.Leave it sit 15 mins before serving.Very yummy & even better the next day.
Taste of Home
Baked Spaghetti. TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 30 min.YIELD:12 servings
Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained, optional
12 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, oregano and, if desired, ground beef. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2. Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with half of the vegetable mixture and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers.
3. In a small bowl, combine soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.
Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1 cup) equals 239 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein.
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i use ricotta , romano and an egg mixed together between the layers and 2% mozz on top. Garlic and cheese sausage and ground beef. Ton of veggies my husband diligently picks out. I dont make it very often it comes out to about 950 calories per piece. /cry.0
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I just made this recipe tonight, and my husband and I both loved it! Will definately make it again...zucchini was a great substitute for the pasta and in my opinion enhanced the flavor. It contains both beef and ricotta. Enjoy!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/zucchini-lasagna/
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That's why I came here to ask, lol. 
This discussion has been closed.
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