The new year is here and we’re all trying to eat healthier. Every day doesn’t have to be totally low in calories, carbs, and fats, though. Celebrate your “cheat day” with this high protein, Leaner Turkey Lasagna.
We know it’s the new year and we’re all trying to watch what we eat. Eating salads, low-carb meals, and meals lower in calories and fats are always a great way to jump start a weight-loss program, but do you ever indulge in “cheat days”? We sure do because we feel they are important, at least once a week, to reward ourselves for a week of good, clean eating. This Leaner Turkey Lasagna is a great way to break the rules just a bit, but still stay in line with a lower carb, leaner, heart-healthy diet plan. Definitely not a “diet” food, this turkey lasagna will satisfy your cravings for a truly hearty and delicious meal without sacrificing your goals for a healthier, happier you.
Leaner Turkey Lasagna Recipe
For this recipe, we use lean, ground turkey, homemade marinara that’s low in sodium, and less than half of the noodles of your typical lasagna recipe. Remember, we are not claiming that this recipe is completely low-fat, low-carb, or low in sodium, but it’s definitely on the lower spectrum of all of those. As long as you’ve followed a healthy eating plan all week long, this is definitely the recipe you want to turn to on the weekend to reward yourself for a job well done without all of the guilt of going out to a restaurant where you might blow your diet all together. Full of robust Italian flavors, and packed with meat and glorious cheese, this is one dish you’re sure to love as much as we do!
Ingredients
- 4 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions
- 2 cups homemade heart-healthy marinara sauce
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you like it really cheesy)
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese for topping, optional
Instructions
- Cook ground turkey on stovetop until almost done, drain, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese and about 2 tablespoons of sauce; just enough to make the cheese a little easier to work with. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In an 8"x8" clear baking dish, spread a small amount of marinara on the bottom; just enough to cover.
- Lay two cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, side by side so that they aren't overlapping. (You may need to cut them down lengthwise so that they fit in your pan.)
- Spread a thin layer of sauce over the noodles and add half of the ground turkey, enough to cover the entire lasagna.
- Spread ricotta mixture over the ground turkey.
- Sprinkle 3/4 of the mozzarella over the ricotta.
- Cover with the remaining ground turkey and then another layer of sauce.
- Lay the two remaining lasagna noodles on top, side by side, then cover with sauce, remaining mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the top layer of cheese is bubbly and browned slightly.
- Let sit 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Lasagna can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Just follow the preparation steps above, cover, and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake it!
We hope you love this Leaner Turkey Lasagna recipe as much as we do. If you enjoyed this simple and flavorful meal idea, be sure to check out our other Low Sodium Meals for more like it. Subscribe to our newsletter so that you never miss a single recipe, and for daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply