Healthy Lasagna

5 from 3 votes

The best healthy lasagna made with a homemade tomato sauce, lean ground meat and cottage cheese. It's comforting, packed with protein and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 large yellow onion chopped
6 large cloves garlic minced, divided
½ teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 16 oz container (2 cups) low-fat cottage cheese
1 8 oz block (2 cups) part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
½ cup freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cups fresh baby spinach chopped
6 whole wheat or regular lasagna noodles
Fresh parsley or basil for topping

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add ground beef or turkey, onion, 5 cloves garlic and salt and cook over until meat is browned, using a spatula or meat chopper to break apart the meat.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, dried basil, parsley, oregano, thyme and pepper. Let it simmer on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, 1 clove garlic and chopped spinach. Mix well.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spray with cooking spray and spread a thin layer of the meat sauce about ¾ cup.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce.
Spread ½ of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by ½ of the meat sauce.
Repeat the layers once more, ending with a layer of sauce.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving topped with fresh parsley or basil.

Notes

Storing: Allow the lasagna to cool to room temperature. Then cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. It will last 4-5 days in the fridge or 1-2 months in the freezer.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through. If it’s frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition