Cozy, Easy Italian Meal: Lasagna, Tiramisu, and Salad | Full Episode | Julia at Home (S3 E3)

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat, while provolone can be more affordable.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while grated Pecorino is often less costly.

Chop the onion finely and heat a small saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the chopped onion to the saucepan and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add 4 ounces of ground beef and 4 ounces of ground pork to the saucepan, breaking it up and cooking for about 4 minutes until no longer pink.

Stir in 8 ounces of tomato sauce, 14.5 ounces of diced tomatoes (drained), and 1/4 cup of tomato juice; let simmer for about 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine 4 ounces of whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil, 1 large egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper; mix well.

To assemble the lasagna, start with half a cup of meat sauce at the bottom of a greased loaf pan.

Layer in a no-boil lasagna noodle, then add a third of the ricotta mixture, followed by 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and another half cup of meat sauce.

Repeat the layering process two more times, finishing with a final layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.

Cover the pan with greased aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is browned.

While the lasagna is baking, prepare the salad with fried artichoke hearts by draining and drying 3 cups of canned artichoke hearts, then tossing them with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens