Chorizo Lasagna

By contessawannabe

Ingredients

• SAUSAGE FILLING
• 1 lb. bulk Mexican chorizo sausage*
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• CHEESE FILLING
• 1 (15-oz.) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or hard Jack cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• SAUCE
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes in puree or chunky tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce**
• LASAGNA
• 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 1 lb. shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend
• Cilantro sprigs or chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot. Crumble chorizo into skillet; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until browned, adding onion halfway through and stirring occasionally.

2. Whisk ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg in medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro and salt.

3. Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl.

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Spread 1 cup of the sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Place 3 of the lasagna noodles in dish (they won’t touch each other). Spread with one-third of the ricotta filling; sprinkle with one-third of the chorizo mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the 3-cheese blend; spread with one-fourth of the remaining sauce. Repeat two more times. Finish with a layer of noodles; spread with remaining sauce. (Lasagna can be made to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Add about 10 minutes to baking time.)

5. Tightly cover with foil; bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup 3-cheese blend. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and noodles are tender.

6. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro.

TIPS *Chorizo is a spicy pork sausage used in Mexican and Spanish cooking. Use the uncooked Mexican chorizo in this recipe, not the smoked Spanish version. It can be found in the meat department of some grocery stores or Latin markets. If unavailable, substitute another highly seasoned sausage.
**Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce can be found in the Hispanic section of the supermarket. Remove veins and seeds for less heat. Refrigerate remaining chiles for about 1 week.


PER SERVING: 490 calories, 33.5 g total fat (17 g saturated fat), 27.5 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 125 mg cholesterol, 1000 mg sodium, 2 g fiber