real life test kitchen: healthier lasagna
Okay, so we needed a food stylist. Or we should have at least waited till the lasagna cooled over a bit before dishing onto our plates, but I swear this dish tastes better than it looks! I love trying out the “healthier” recipes in Everyday Food (like previous hit chicken meatballs with spaghetti squash) so I just had to give this Healthier Meat Lasagna a try. A few things make this dish better-for-you than the traditional, ricotta-filled classic: Whole wheat noodles (barely noticed the difference, honest); Cottage cheese instead of ricotta (you mix in a bit of Parm which gives a robust flavor); and sauteed eggplant mixed in with the meat. The result actually was like a cross between eggplant parmesan and lasagna — not a bad thing at all! My only suggestion on the recipe: It only calls for six noodles, but that wasn’t enough to make three good layers in pan. I’d use eight next time. And, honestly, the whole damn thing was so yummy, you could double this recipe and enjoy the leftovers during the week. Click here to see full recipe! — Angela M.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:35 am
SO making this!
October 24th, 2007 at 8:36 am
Im glad to hear your review. I have this recipe marked to make in my mag but was feeling a bit skeptical regarding the flavor. I thought I would just mark it to remind myself to make my usual lasagna. But now I think I will give it a try. Thanks!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:43 am
This looks delicious! Thank you for the link — I have printed the recipe already.
The directions don’t say anything about the 1 can of tomato puree listed in the ingredients; I’m assuming that you added it with the ground sirloin? Also, do you think the recipe would work with no-boil lasagna noodles?
Thanks again!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Hi Caitlyn — yes that’s right, add the can of tomato puree after the meat has cooked and is no longer pink. I used whole wheat lasagna noodles — and even though the box’s instructions told me to boil, I didn’t. I followed the recipe and just had them soak in the pan with very hot tap water while the rest of the dish was being prepared. I was worried they’d be a little chewy, but in the end they worked out with just the right texture.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I make my lasagna with Tinkada lasagna noodles made with brown rice. I’ve tried many brands and they are the best brown rice noodles (some don’t cook well at all) and taste almost exactly like regular pasta, and in a lasagna, you’d never taste the difference. Just add a little grapeseed oil to the water to prevent sticking.