Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

By

This cheesy lasagna is full of spicy Italian turkey sausage, whole-wheat noodles, mushrooms and spinach. A serving of this version has about one-third the fat and saturated fat, and only half the calories of the original. Use soy-based sausage for a hearty vegetarian variation.

View complete recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 8 8 oz whole-wheat lasagna noodles
  • 1 1 1 lb lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (see Variation)
  • 4 4 4 cups sliced mushrooms, (10 ounces)
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1 1 lb frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1 28-ounce 1 28-ounce 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 tsp salt
  • to ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 1 1 lb part-skim ricotta cheese, (2 cups)
  • 8 8 2 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
  • 10 10
  • Cooking Times
  • 30 Time: 30 minutes
  • 2 Time: 2 hours
  • Nutrition Facts
  • 1/10 Serving size: 1/10 of a recipe (10.5 ounces).
  • 2000 daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
  • Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.
  • Amount Per Serving
  • 415.64 415.64
  • 193.58 From Fat (47%) 193.58
  • % Daily Value
  • 17.41g 27% 17.41g 27%
  • 7.11g 36% 7.11g 36%
  • 64.82mg 22% 22%
  • 697.88mg 29% 29%
  • 490.97mg 14% 14%
  • 13.96g 5% 13.96g 5%
  • 2.57g 10% 10%
  • 4.16g 4.16g
  • 20.87g 42% 42%
  • Tips
  • 5 to 1 Prepare through Step 5 up to 1 day ahead.
  • Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat lasagna noodles are higher in fiber than white noodles. They can be found in health-food stores and some large supermarkets.
  • Reviews
  • Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Healthy weight | High calcium | High fiber | High potassium |
  • 1 1 1/2 1 2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 2 medium-fat meat

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until not quite tender, 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; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until it 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; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. 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. Vegetarian Variation: Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.

View complete recipe