Megan’s Homemade Lasagna
I was shopping in Costco last month when I walked past the freezers with lasagnas in it. I was tempted to pick one up for a future dinner to save myself some time and energy. When I checked out the ingredient label, nutrition information and price, I realized that with a little work I could make a more nutritious version for about the same price. Below is my cost comparison and nutritional analysis of the Costco lasagna vs. my homemade lasagna:
| Kirkland Signature Meat Lasagna $12.99
1 Cup Serving: Calories: 340 calories Fat Calories: 160 calories Total Fat: 17 grams Carbohydrate: 29 grams Protein: 20 grams Vitamin A: 20% Calcium: 35% Vitamin C: 20% Iron: 15% |
Megan’s Homemade Beef Lasagna $11.36
1 Cup Serving: Calories: 270 calories Fat Calories: 100 calories Total Fat: 11 grams Carbohydrate: 23 grams Protein: 20 grams Vitamin A: 50% Calcium: 23% Vitamin C: 9% Iron: 14% |
As you can see, my version has 70 less calories per serving than the Costco brand for almost all the same (and in some cases more) nutrition. Check out all that Vitamin A in my version! You will love the fresher, lighter flavor of this homemade lasagna. From start to finish, I spent about 1 hour and 15 minutes making this dish. While that is longer than most weeknight meals I make, I believe it was worth every minute when I watched my kids lick every last bite out of the pan. I hope you and your family enjoy it as well!
Megan’s Gluten-Free Lasagna
Ingredients
- 10 Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles Tinkyada brand
Sauce
- 1/4 pound Ground Beef 1 Cup Cooked
- 1/4 pound Mild Italian Sausage 1 Cup Cooked
- 1 Cup Onion chopped
- 2/3 Cup Celery chopped fine
- 2/3 Cup Carrot shredded
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1- 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 2- 15 ounce cans Tomato Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons fresh Basil chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Cheese Layer
- 2 Cups Cottage Cheese 4% milk fat
- 1 Egg* See note
- 1/3 Cup Parmesan shredded
- 2 Cups Packed Spinach
Topping
- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- For sauce, cook beef, sausage, onion, celery, carrots and garlic in a large saucepan until meat is brown. Drain any excess fat.
- Add un-drained tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook noodles for 8 to 10 minutes so they are slightly under-cooked. Drain noodles and set aside.
- For cheese filling, mix together cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan and spinach. Set aside.
- Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish, trimming with kitchen shears as necessary to fit. Spread with half of the cheese filling. Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella. Repeat layers.
- Place 9 X 13 dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
