Description
This Easy Healthy Lasagna recipe combines lean ground beef, fresh vegetables, and low-fat cheeses to create a delicious and nutritious meal that's perfect for family dinners. With oven-ready noodles and simple ingredients, it's a straightforward dish that bakes to bubbly, cheesy perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cups finely diced zucchini (about 2 small or 1 medium/large zucchini)
- 1 cup finely diced summer squash (about 1 medium/large summer squash)
Tomato Sauce
- 1 15 ounce can whole tomatoes (2 cups, or crushed tomatoes if preferred)
- 1 10 ounce can tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Lasagna and Cheese
- 6 ounces uncooked, oven-ready lasagna noodles (8 noodles)
- 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Cook Beef and Onion: In a large pan with high sides, cook the diced onion and lean ground beef over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until the beef is fully cooked.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the beef cooks, dice the zucchini and summer squash into small cubes about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size.
- Drain Beef: Once the beef is cooked, drain excess liquid and set the beef and onions aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pan, cook the diced zucchini and summer squash over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes until tender.
- Add Tomato Ingredients: Stir in the whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, and all the spices (garlic powder, salt, parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper).
- Simmer Sauce: Continue cooking the tomato and vegetable mixture over medium heat for another 7 to 10 minutes, breaking down the whole tomatoes with a spatula for a smoother sauce.
- Combine Beef and Sauce: Add the cooked beef and onion back into the sauce and stir until well combined.
- Start Layering: Pour about one-quarter of the meat sauce mixture into a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Layer Noodles: Place 4 oven-ready lasagna noodles over the sauce evenly.
- Add More Sauce and Cheese: Spread another quarter of the sauce over the noodles, then add half of the cottage cheese, followed by half of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering process with the remaining noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Bake Covered: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted and golden.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna cool for a few minutes after baking, then serve warm and enjoy your healthy homemade meal.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Assemble the lasagna the night before or the morning of serving. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Freezing: Wrap the unbaked lasagna tightly in plastic wrap and foil or store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen; add 15 to 20 minutes to the baking time.
- Tomato Options: Use crushed tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Breaking Down Tomatoes: While cooking the sauce, break down whole tomatoes with a spatula to create a smoother texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
