Flavorful, Tasty Baked Lasagna with cottage cheese and lots of veggies
Who doesn’t love lasagne? It is one of the most versatile and well-loved casseroles! As a matter of fact, I’m posting this recipe first because it is the recipe that I get asked for the most.
History of Tasty Baked Lasagne
Lasagna pasta is possibly one of the oldest types of pasta. It originated in Italy during the middle ages. It’s no wonder that this delicious pasta dish is still so popular today! An interesting fact I found out recently is that Lasagne is the plural form of Lasagna. I always wondered why there were two ways to spell it. Now I know Lasagna is only one sheet of pasta! For more fascinating reading about the history of lasagna, read:Lasagna:Origins and Varieties of the Beloved Baked Pasta.
I first learned how to make lasagne when I was newly married. My husband borrowed a cookbook from a co-worker and we learned together, as we were young and the only thing I knew how to cook when we got married was broccoli soup. At that time, it was basically meat with tomato sauce between noodles and cheese on the top. Over the years this recipe evolved into incorporating LOTS of flavorful veggies and a layer of creamy cottage cheese. Plus the amount of cheese has increased. This may just possibly be the Best lasagne recipe!
With all of the vegetables in this lasagne, it can even be a healthy one dish meal! I do often serve it with the traditional garlic bread and Caesar salad though.
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Ingredients
- Onions: Great flavor
- Garlic: Great flavor
- Celery: Moisture and flavor
- Peppers: Vitamins, flavor and moisture
- Carrots: A touch of sweetness
- Zucchini: More flavor
- Mushrooms: A natural flavor enhancer
- Tomato Sauce: The base for the sauce
- Tomato Paste: To intensify the tomato taste
- Extra Lean Ground Beef: Use the extra lean so that you don’t have to drain fat.
- Cheese: Cottage Cheese, Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese
- Lasagne Noodles
- Spices: Seasoning Salt, Italian Seasoning and Sugar
How to make Tasty Baked Lasagne
1.Place the beef in a large skillet and start on medium heat. Boil the noodles according to package instructions.
2.Chop the vegetables and add each vegetable in the order given, scraping and stirring the meat after each addition.
3.Add the tomato sauce and paste. Let simmer while getting the cheese mixture ready.
4.In a medium sized bowl, add the cottage cheese, parmesan and spinach. Stir well.
5.In a large 10×15″ casserole dish, layer the lasagne in the order given: meat sauce, noodles, meat sauce, noodles, cheese mixture, noodles and then meat sauce.
6.Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
7.Remove from oven, put the mozzarella cheese on the top and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is browned to your liking
8.Let rest for 20 minutes. If it is still runny, it may need longer to rest before cutting.
You will love the versatility of this recipe, whether it be made for your family, to bring to a potluck or frozen and reheated for company later! If you don’t have all of the veggies, it is also good with less or different combinations.
This lasagne recipe is a great stand by to have in the freezer for unexpected company. I have also even made up multiple lasagnes in dollar store lasagne pans and frozen them. Then served them at camps, youth gatherings, to company, or put into the freezer for when new babies arrived.
Other Great Casseroles to Try
Ingredients
Instructions
How to Make Tasty Baked Lasagne
Place the beef in a large skillet and start on medium heat. I used frozen ground beef for this recipe.
Chop the vegetables and add each vegetable in the order given, scraping and stirring the meat after each addition.
Add the tomato sauce and paste. Let simmer while getting the cheese mixture ready.
In a medium sized bowl, add the cottage cheese, parmesan and spinach. Stir well.
In a large 9x13" casserole dish, layer the lasagna in the order given: meat sauce, noodles, meat sauce, noodles, cheese mixture, noodles and then meat sauce.
Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven, put the mozzarella cheese on the top and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is browned to your liking.
Let rest for 20 minutes. If it is still runny, it may need longer to rest before cutting.
Enjoy!
Serving Size 1/8th of Lasagne
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 498kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16g25%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 94mg32%
- Sodium 3080mg129%
- Potassium 1046mg30%
- Total Carbohydrate 32g11%
- Dietary Fiber 8g32%
- Sugars 16g
- Protein 54g108%
- Vitamin A 154 IU
- Vitamin C 66 mg
- Calcium 90 mg
- Iron 21 mg
- Vitamin E 20 IU
- Vitamin K 39 mcg
- Thiamin 16 mg
- Riboflavin 51 mg
- Niacin 50 mg
- Vitamin B6 47 mg
- Vitamin B12 124 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 22 mg
- Phosphorus 107 mg
- Magnesium 22 mmol
- Zinc 98 mcg
- Selenium 67 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
If freezing, leave the cheese off until mostly baked.
It takes 2 hours to bake from frozen, covered with aluminum foil.
Make sure to put a large cookie sheet under when baking with aluminum foil on it, to catch any spilled over mess:-)
If you have extra sauce left over, it can be frozen and used later or you can just use it as spaghetti sauce:-)
The longer you simmer the sauce, the less runny it will be. If you like a dryer lasagne, just simmer longer.
This recipe is so versatile, you can easily omit, add or swap ingredients and have a customized delicious lasagna! I’ve used ground elk instead of beef and that tastes really good too.
Yes Naomi, the versatility of this recipe is one of the reasons we all love it too!
Delicious! I love this recipe because it has so many veggies, it’s like a balanced meal.
Thank you!