No-Noodle Spinach Lasagna Recipe

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This lasagna offers all the cheesy goodness of a traditional lasagna and is full of vegetables.

Photo by Getty Images/nicolesy

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“The Perfect Diabetes Comfort Food Collection” by Robyn Webb shows readers how to transform classic comfort food recipes into hearty, nutritionally balanced meals. The book provides nearly 100 recipes that are diabetes-friendly and delicious!

Cover courtesy of the American Diabetes Association

95 min DURATION

65 min COOK TIME

30 min PREP TIME

18 servings SERVINGS

Ingredients

Sauce:

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
4 cups sliced mushrooms, stems removed
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups low-sodium store-bought marinara sauce

Filling:

1 cup small curd cottage cheese (1 percent milk fat)
1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest
4 cups fresh flat-leaf spinach leaves, coarse stems removed, washed and very well dried
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Coat a 9 x 12-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and leave undisturbed for 1 minute. Begin to stir and sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes until browned and the mushrooms just begin to release moisture. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon from the skillet to a plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and sauté for 5 — 6 minutes until soft. Add the carrots and sauté for 4 minutes until the carrots are soft. Add the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add back the mushrooms. Add the marinara sauce and simmer on medium low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the cottage cheese to a blender and process until thick but smooth. Add the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and lemon zest to a bowl.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of sauce into the prepared baking pan. Add a layer of spinach leaves. Using a spatula, spoon half the filling mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese. Add half of the remaining sauce. Repeat the layers one more time. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the top.

Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 — 15 minutes for the lasagna to settle. Cut into squares.Note: this lasagna is more like a scooped lasagna, so the squares won't exactly be precise.

Nutrition:

Calories: 70
Calories from Fat: 20
Total fat: 2.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
Trans fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 160 mg
Potassium: 230 mg
Total carbohydrate: 5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 6 g
Phosphorus: 110 mg
Exchanges/Choices: 1 Non-starchy Vegetable; 1 Protein, lean