Lasagna with Ground Turkey, Mushrooms and Spinach

Lasagna with Ground Turkey, Mushrooms and Spinach

• • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/2 onion, diced

  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 2 14.5-ounce cans Italian diced tomatoes

  • 1 28-ounce can tomato puree

  • 4 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil

  • salt and pepper

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 3 cups grated mozzarella, divided

  • 1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

  • 1 cup grated Parmesan

  • 1 box no-boil lasagna noodles (16 noodles)

  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

  • 3 cups sliced mushrooms

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree and basil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

In a bowl, combine the beaten eggs, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the ricotta cheese and the Parmesan cheese, and stir until well blended. Set aside.

When the sauce is ready, preheat the oven to 375 F, and spray a 9x13 (or slightly bigger) pan with non-stick cooking spray. Build the lasagna per the following steps:

• 1. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the pan.

  2. Lay 4 noodles down. Top noodles with 1 1/2 cups of the sauce. Top sauce with 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Top cheese with 1/3 of the sliced mushrooms. Top mushrooms with 1/3 of the spinach.

  3. Repeat step 2.

  4. Repeat step 2.

  5. For the final layer, lay down the last 4 noodles. Top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the reserved cup of mozzarella.

This makes a very full pan, and you may have to press the layers down a little as you go. If you have a pan that's a little bigger than 9x13, then that would work even better. I placed my 9x13 pan on top of a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes to brown the cheese on top. Let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Yields 10-12 servings.