Lasagna with Ricotta & Mozzarella

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese lowers fat content while maintaining creaminess.

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 is usually cheaper.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino Romano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while Pecorino is often more affordable.

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil.

Add sliced garlic to the pot and sauté until it begins to turn golden.

Add whole plum tomatoes to the pot and crush them with your hands.

Season the sauce with a bit of salt and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

Prepare the ricotta filling by draining ricotta cheese overnight in a sieve.

In a bowl, combine drained ricotta, a bit of egg, salt, and parsley; mix well.

Roll out the lasagna pasta, ensuring it's thin and wide enough for layering.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, stirring gently to prevent sticking.

Once the pasta is about 3/4 cooked, transfer it to a bowl of ice water to cool.

Lay the cooked pasta on a moist kitchen towel to dry.

Butter a ceramic or cast iron baking dish.

Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish.

Layer the lasagna pasta over the sauce, followed by half of the ricotta filling and half of the sliced mozzarella.

Add more marinara sauce on top of the mozzarella.

Repeat the layering process with another layer of pasta, the remaining ricotta filling, more mozzarella, and more sauce.

Finish with a final layer of pasta and top with remaining sauce and grated cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 45 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the top is crisp and golden.

Let the lasagna rest before slicing and serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens