Few dishes taste more satisfying than homemade lasagna--the firm pasta, the creamy cheese, the hearty meat. A tangy homemade marinara sauce completes this Italian classic. My version has been updated a bit to complement a more healthy lifestyle. Lean, 93/7 ground turkey and whole grain pasta suit my current food philosophy, and they don't take one single thing away from this delicious, decadent dish. This may look like a lot of ingredients and steps, but good, homemade lasagna takes a bit of time. If you plan ahead and work step-by-step, it comes together pretty quickly and will be well worth your effort. Leftovers freeze beautifully.
Sue's Turkey Spinach Lasagna
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (14 oz.) cans diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup sliced, pitted kalamata olives
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/3 lb. ground turkey (93/7)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 oz. fresh baby spinach
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
9 whole grain lasagna noodles
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
For marinara, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Add onions, and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and bay leaf, and cook for 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano and olives. Cook for about 15 minutes until sauce has thickened a bit. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup. Set all aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet. Add ground turkey, onion and salt. Cook until turkey is no longer pink. Drain meat mixture in colander. Meanwhile, to that same skillet, add spinach. Season with a sprinkle of salt, and cook for 1 minute until spinach has wilted. Remove and drain well. Set aside. When spinach has cooled a bit, squeeze out excess water
Return turkey/onion mixture to skillet. Add marinara sauce (minus reserved 1/2 cup), and heat for a couple of minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
To assemble, place reserved 1/2 cup marinara sauce on bottom of prepared 13 x 9 pan. Layer 3 noodles, top with half of the ricotta mixture, half turkey/marinara mixture, half spinach and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat, ending with noodles. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
