Vegetable & Turkey Lasagna (+ Dairy Free Ricotta Recipe)

I love lasagna. It’s perfect for entertaining, the picky eater, the casserole lover and the comfort food connoisseur.

Awhile back I made the most mind-blowing lasagna ever with a low fat ground turkey lasagna and could never seem to repeat it. Every time I made it, I received positive reviews, but I knew that magic was missing.

I made it again and again, but nothing was quite right…until now! The secret ingredients that made this lasagna perfect: Red Pepper Flakes, fresh Oregano, and Cumin.

These ingredients make the perfect zing, like a gorgeous pop of color on the tongue. Those ingredients may take center stage for this dish, however, the background players make it truly delicious and nutritious. Pureed vegetables, ladies and gentlemen! I put a ton in it!

Variation ideas

The texture may be that of a basic creamy cheese lasagna (great for picky eaters), but the flavor is so complex that no one will guess what you have in it. This is the easiest recipe to change to however you like it–want a completely vegetable lasagna recipe? Easy. Want to use a tofu ricotta? I’ve got you covered with a recipe below.

Ground beef instead of turkey? Or even organ meats? Sliced zucchini or eggplant for a gluten-free layer of noodles? The complexity of flavors allow for some unusual choices without them standing out in flavor.

Want to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta? Woah woah woah, don’t be hasty. I’m sure it’ll be good, but nothing beats ricotta. Especially if you can get your hands on fresh ricotta.

The secret is in the sauce–meat sauce or vegetarian style, you can’t go wrong. As long as the sauce is right, this will be the best lasagna ever.

Lasagna assembly tricks

1. If you don’t have a lasagna baking dish, these disposables are so great for potlucks or for freezing an extra lasagna pan.
2. Get the no boil lasagna noodles for faster assembly–unless you are using zucchini noodles.
3. Prevent your lasagna from sticking to the bottom by putting a layer of sauce in the pan first
4. Alternating directions will make the lasagna easy to cut and serve without falling apart. First layer is horizontal, second layer is vertical, and so on.
5. For even distribution, mix your ricotta cheese mixture into your sauce, don’t layer it separately. Easier and more flavor in one step!

Lasagna recipe and dairy free ricotta recipes below!

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Vegetable & Turkey Lasagna (+ Dairy Free Ricotta Recipe)

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

2 hrs

 

Savor this delicious vegetable and turkey lasagna, elevated by a mouthwatering spice blend and pureed veggies in the sauce for a texture-free nutrition and flavor boost. Perfect for cozy gatherings or picky eaters!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: dairy free, turkey, lasagna, beef, ricotta

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 packages lasagna noodles
• 2 jars Rao's Arabriata Tomato Sauce If you don't use this one, make sure you either add red pepper flakes or use another Arabriata sauce in its place.
• 32 oz mozzarella cheese, grated or dairy free cheese
• 32 oz ricotta cheese If dairy free, use my recipe below or this Ricotta by Kite Hill
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 4 cloves garlic

Steamed and pureed vegetables

• 1/4 onion
• 1/4 cup broccoli
• 1/4 cup carrots
• 1/4 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 cup zucchini
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 sweet potato

Ground Meat

• 1.5 lbs ground turkey or beef

Topping (optional)

• parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 450°F

2. Lightly steam the onion, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potato until soft (about 10 minutes)

3. Add the spinach leaves and finish steaming until just wilted (about 3 minutes)

4. While the vegetables are steaming, cook your ground turkey or ground beef on the stovetop.

5. While the vegetables are steaming: Pour 1 jar of tomato sauce into a large bowl

6. Add the ricotta ingredients to the tomato sauce. Stir.

7. Once the vegetables are lightly steamed, transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the cumin, fresh herbs, and garlic to the food processor or blender.

8. Add the pureed veggie mix to the tomato sauce. Stir.

Assembly

1. Add a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of your pan.

2. Layer the lasagna noodles so they are overlapping a 1/2 inch for each noodle.

3. Spread a layer of mozzarella cheese (or dairy free cheese) on top of each noodle.

4. Spread a layer of sauce.

5. Layer cooked ground meat.

6. Repeat, until all your ingredients are gone, alternating directions for your noodles.

Finishing touches

1. Top with sauce and cheese, put foil loosely on the top of the casserole, and put it in the oven.

2. After 1/2 hr, reduce the cooking temperature to 350°F.

3. Cook an additional half an hour up to a full hour, then let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

   Many people serve at almost room temperature, but this is not necessary unless you added a lot of sauce in between each layer.

4. I take the 2nd jar of sauce and pour half on top of the lasagna and serve the other half in a bowl for dinner. It's nice having 1-2 cups sauce leftover as well.

5. Slice and serve! Mangia! Mangia!

6. **Extra ingredients? Make a second lasagna and freeze it!

Recipe Notes

If you use 99 lean turkey, you can up the flavor by cooking it in beef tallow for an extra filling meal.

You do not need to use all of the vegetables I added. These are only suggestions. It will not alter the recipe to use less or more.

If you decide to make this for dinner guests, be prepared for them to want to take some home. It’s just that good! I always make sure I have some tupperware I’m not attached to for veggie and turkey lasagna nights. That way I can let people take an extra slice home. 😉