Turkey Lasagna

We all know and love lasagna - now meet a healthier, creamier, protein-rich version! This Turkey Lasagna is delicious, easy to throw together, and will quickly become a family favorite.

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Turkey lasagna

Lasagna is a classic pasta recipe that is created by stacking wide lasagna noodles in a dish and filling alternating layers with meat, sauce, and cheese. It is delicious, savoury, and full of flavor. Its origins are unclear, but most point to Middle Ages Italy as far back as the 14th century. You know when something has been around that long it has some serious star power in the kitchen.

This turkey lasagna recipe is a healthier, higher in protein, and creamier version of that age old classic. It compromises none of the flavor or texture but introduces some new and different ingredients that will make your taste buds sing for joy.

Turkey lasagna ingredients

Here is everything you'll need to gather before starting to make your lasagna:

• pasta sauce
• ground turkey
• onion
• olive oil
• garlic
• italian seasoning
• salt
• pepper
• lasagna noodles
• red pepper flakes
• nonfat cottage cheese
• egg
• parmesan cheese 
• fresh basil 
• mozzarella cheese 
• parmesan cheese 
• fresh basil
• red pepper flakes

How to make turkey lasagna

Now, the steps to creating the most delicious turkey lasagna:

• Gather all ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil. Add garlic and onion. Cook for 3 mins.
• Add meat to the skillet and cook until brown, about 8 minutes.
• Add pasta sauce and seasonings into the skillet. Mix and let simmer for about 4 minutes.
• In a large pot, boil water. Add lasagna noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. The noodles should be not quite al dente. Drain with a strainer and set aside.
• In a blender, add cottage cheese, egg, and parmesan cheese. Blend until creamy consistency.
• Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Pour about ½ of the sauce mixture into the casserole dish.
• Place 4 of the lasagna noodles on top of the meat layer. (Note: Depending on the size of the casserole dish, the noodles could either be 4 horizontal or 3 horizontal and 1 vertical.)
• Using ½ of the cottage cheese mixture, make a layer of creamy cheese on top of the noodles.
• Top with ½ of the parmesan and ½ of the mozzarella.
• Repeat previous steps with the remaining ingredients (Make a meat, noodle, creamy cheese, & shredded cheese layers)
• Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
• Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

How to store cooked lasagna

The best way to store your cooked lasagna is to first wrap the dish in plastic wrap and then in foil. Then place it in the refrigerator. This is the best way to prevent your lasagna from drying out.

If you're planning to use this turkey lasagna recipe for meal prep, you should individually portion out the lasagna and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

How to reheat cooked lasagna

There are a couple of strategies for how to reheat your cooked turkey lasagna based on how you've stored it. If you've kept it in the original baking dish, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, cover with foil, and place back in the oven for about 30 minutes.

If you have stored it in an individual serving in an airtight container, you can cover it with a wet paper towel (to trap the moisture) and heat in the microwave until it's warm enough for your taste. However, if you cannot cover with a wet paper towel, you can sprinkle some water on the pasta before reheating. This will prevent the lasagna from drying out.

How many layers is best for lasagna?

There is no right answer to this question, although most lasagnas have between 3 and 4 layers. This recipe only has 2 layers and the reasoning for why is two-fold.

First, it cuts back on the carbs, making this a healthier choice. And secondly, it makes this recipe quicker and easier, which is what I'm all about here at Jordo's World - easy, healthy recipes for busy people.

What do you put in layers for lasagna?

There are 3 things that make a lasagna, a lasagna. Noodles, sauce, and cheese - in layers. You'll find all 3 of these things in each lasagna layer.

Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered?

The answer to this question is yes. You cook it both covered and uncovered! If you don't cook your lasagna covered at all, you'll dry it out. But when you uncover it at the end of the cooking process, you allow the top layer of cheese to brown, bubble, and become even more delicious.

Is lasagna a healthy meal?

Everyone has a different definition of healthy, but this turkey lasagna is definitely a healthier, lighter version of a classic lasagna. First, it uses ground turkey, which is lower in fat than ground beef. Secondly, it uses cottage cheese in place of ricotta. Cottage cheese is lower in calories than ricotta. Thirdly, it uses only two layers of lasagna noodles, lowering the carbs.

This turkey lasagna packs 26g of protein and is less than 350 calories a serving. This recipe is the perfect way to enjoy a lighter version of lasagna if that's what you're looking for.

Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in lasagna?

Yes you can! And this recipe does it. There are lots of similarities between cottage cheese and ricotta, so it's not a hard swap at all.

Ricotta and cottage cheese share a very similar taste and texture. Cottage cheese is typically higher in protein and lower in calories, which is partly what helps lighten up this turkey lasagna.

More ground turkey dinner recipes

Check out these other ground turkey dinners right here:

• Bacon Gouda Turkey Burgers
• Turkey Pasta Primavera
• Ground Turkey Skillet with Veggies