Grandma's Lasagna without Ricotta Cheese

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  • Serve 8   Prep: 10 minutes   Cooks: 50 minutes

My family really cannot take the texture of ricotta or cottage cheese in Lasagna, so this hearty, cheesy, lasagna that requires no ricotta cheese was perfect for us.

 

Ingredients:


  • 1 lb oven ready no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage ( or ground beef, chicken, turkey)
  • 4 oz. mushrooms, diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrots, diced
  • splash of olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes (each 14.5 oz)
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded (as much or little as you like)
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 bag of spinach leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a pinch of crushed red peppers (option)

Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place your sausage and carrots in a large skillet with a little olive oil over med-high heat. Cook until sausage is browned and carrots are a little soft, then add in garlic, onions, mushrooms and continue to saute 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute.   Add 2 cans of drained fire-roasted tomatoes and parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, continue to stir. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Spread 2/3 cup of the meat filling on the bottom of a greased 13"x 9" baking dish.  Top with one-third of the noodles in a single layer, then spread with 1/3 of the remaining meat filling, followed by half of the 1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese , then handful of the spinach. Alternating the direction of the noodles from one layer to the next, repeat the layering process two more time.
  4. Finish by topping with the remaining noodles, then spread with the remaining meat filling. Sprinkle generously with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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