Description
This healthy lasagna recipe combines lean ground beef with fresh zucchini and summer squash, layered with oven-ready noodles and a blend of low-fat cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella. It's a balanced, flavorful dish perfect for a nutritious dinner that doesn’t sacrifice taste.
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
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Cook Beef and Onions: In a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat, cook the diced onion and lean ground beef together until the beef is fully browned, approximately 10 minutes. Drain excess fat and set aside the cooked beef and onions.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the beef cooks, cut the zucchini and summer squash into small cubes about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size for even cooking and texture.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced zucchini and summer squash to the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes until tender but not mushy.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasonings: Incorporate the whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper into the pan. Stir well, breaking down whole tomatoes with a spatula for a smoother sauce, and continue cooking over medium heat for another 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Combine Beef and Sauce: Return the cooked ground beef and onions to the tomato sauce mixture and mix thoroughly to combine all flavors.
- Layer Lasagna - First Layer: Pour about one-quarter of the tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Place Noodles: Arrange 4 uncooked oven-ready lasagna noodles evenly on top of the sauce layer.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Spoon another quarter of the tomato sauce mixture over the noodles, followed by half of the cottage cheese, half of the shredded parmesan, and half of the mozzarella.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat layering with the remaining sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Cover and Bake: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and Finish Baking: Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to allow the cheese to brown slightly.
- Cool and Serve: Let the lasagna cool for a few minutes before serving to allow it to set. Serve warm and enjoy your healthy, delicious meal.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours before baking, cover and refrigerate. For freezing, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen adding 15-20 minutes to baking time.
- Tomato Options: Substitute whole tomatoes with crushed tomatoes for a smoother sauce.
- Texture Tip: When cooking the sauce, break down whole tomatoes with a spatula to enhance sauce consistency.
- Use oven-ready noodles to save prep time and avoid boiling noodles separately.
- You can reduce sodium or salt by adjusting added salt or using no-salt canned tomatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
