How to Make Delicious and Healthy Turkey Lasagna

Turkey lasagna is a delicious, hearty, and healthy meal that the whole family will love. It’s easy to make and full of nutritious ingredients In this article, I’ll walk you through the entire process of making the best turkey lasagna from start to finish

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make turkey lasagna, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Lasagna noodles – Regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free lasagna noodles work well. No-boil noodles make assembly easy.

• Ground turkey – Lean ground turkey is lower in fat than ground beef You can use 93-99% lean

• Onion and garlic – An onion and garlic provide a flavor base for the sauce.

• Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes – The sauce provides moisture and classic Italian flavor.

• Fresh herbs – Basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning enhance the sauce.

• Ricotta cheese – Used along with mozzarella and parmesan, ricotta gives great texture.

• Mozzarella cheese – Melted mozzarella provides the classic gooey cheese layer.

• Eggs and seasonings – Beaten eggs help bind the ricotta filling.

• Olive oil and seasonings – Olive oil, salt, and pepper are pantry staples.

Make the Turkey Meat Sauce

Start by sautéing onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Then add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Next, stir in crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce along with the seasonings – dried basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let this simmer while preparing the additional components.

The meat sauce provides a savory flavor base for your lasagna. Simmering it on the stove helps develop the flavors.

Prepare the Ricotta Filling

In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, parmesan, egg, and seasonings until well-combined. You can use part-skim or whole milk ricotta. This ricotta filling adds a creamy, cheesy layer to your lasagna.

Boil the Noodles

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse noodles with cool water to stop the cooking process. If using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step. The noodles provide the base structure for building the lasagna.

Assemble the Lasagna

Start by spreading a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles on top. Spread half the ricotta filling over the noodles, followed by a third of the mozzarella slices. Top with another layer of sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Repeat the layers of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, sauce and parmesan. End with a final layer of noodles, sauce and remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake.

Properly assembling the layers is key to delicious lasagna. Taking your time with neat, even layers results in the best texture.

Bake the Lasagna

Covered baking helps the lasagna cook evenly. Bake at 375°F covered with foil for about 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes. This second baking step develops a nice bubbly top layer.

If desired, you can finish it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to get golden, browned cheese. Allow lasagna to rest at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Make Ahead and Freezing Tips

Part of lasagna’s appeal is you can prep it in advance. Assemble the lasagna layers in a baking dish up to one day before baking. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Lasagna also freezes wonderfully. You can bake it first and then freeze individual portions. Or assemble completely and freeze the entire pan unbaked. Thaw and add 10 minutes to the bake time.

Having leftovers or grabbing a frozen slice makes weeknight meals a breeze. Freezing in individual portions is great for portion control.

Variations to Try

While the classic meat sauce and ricotta filling are delicious, you can customize your lasagna in lots of ways:

• Add spinach, mushrooms or other chopped veggies to the layers.

• Use ground beef or Italian sausage instead of turkey.

• Mix in cottage cheese with the ricotta for a creamier texture.

• Substitute gluten-free or zucchini noodles if needed.

• Use a Parmesan and mozzarella blend rather than ricotta.

Serving Suggestions

Lasagna tastes amazing on its own, but here are some great side dishes to serve it with:

• Fresh mixed green salad or Caesar salad

• Cheesy garlic bread or breadsticks

• Sauteed green beans or broccoli

A crisp white wine, Italian beer or sangria are excellent beverage choices with lasagna. Having a dessert like tiramisu or panna cotta ready makes it a complete Italian meal.

Lasagna Tips

Follow these tips for lasagna success:

• Don’t overcook the noodles – they’ll get mushy.

• Make sure to drain noodles well before assembling.

• Let ricotta come to room temp before mixing for creamy consistency.

• Use high quality cheeses for the best flavor.

• Cover with foil for even cooking and to prevent drying out.

• Rest lasagna at least 10 minutes before serving for clean slicing.

With its hearty layers of noodles, sauce, turkey meat, cheeses and fresh herbs, lasagna is an Italian comfort food favorite. Using lean ground turkey lightens it up while keeping fantastic flavor. Make ahead, freeze and customize it to suit your family’s taste. Following the step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to make the very best turkey lasagna. From ingredients to assembly to baking tips, this article equips you with everything you need for lasagna success.