Lasagna (Edit)

The spinach and mushroom really blends in with the rest of the lasagna so it’s a great way to sneak in a little bit of healthy veggies. Most people assume the spinach is basil leaves. As with the spaghetti, sausage will give you a better flavor overall.

Components

  • Marinara Sauce

Yield

8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1 lb hamburger or spicy italian sausage

  • ½ or 1 onion, diced

  • 1 small container mushrooms, minced (optional)

  • 1 Tbsp italian seasoning

  • 1 tsp oregano

  • 1 tsp basil

  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

  • ~8 cup marinara sauce

  • prepared lasagna noodles

  • 4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

  • 1 or 2 cup spinach, chopped (optional)

Directions

  • Coat skillet in olive oil then add garlic. Saute over medium heat until fragrant.

  • Add hamburger or sausage, onion, and mushrooms. Season with italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, and basil and cook until browned (double seasonings if using plain hamburger). Drain any excess grease.

  • Add marinara–if using store bought sauce, add a bay leaf and allow meat sauce to simmer for ~30 minutes to 1 hour on low heat to enhance flavor.

  • Coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with a thin layer of the meat sauce and then our pattern will start- lasagna noodles, meat sauce, spinach (if desired), mozzarella, sprinkle parmesan, then repeat. Usually this will continue for 3-5 layers. (Most of my dishes can only manage 3 layers)

  • The final layer will be noodles, sauce, and then enough mozzarella to cover the top of the lasagna.

  • Cover lasagna with aluminum foil. If the foil is touching the cheese, lightly spray the foil with nonstick spray and that will keep your cheese from sticking to the foil once it’s melted.

  • Bake covered at 350F for 45 minutes. At the end of the 45 minutes, remove the foil and then bake for an additional 15 minutes.

  • Allow to cool/set for at least 15 minutes before eating (otherwise the lasagna will be VERY liquid-like. If you let it cool, it will hold together in one piece).

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

  • ¼ or ½ cup water (optional)

  • 1 16 oz. can finely diced tomatoes

  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 Tbsp dried basil

  • 1 tsp oregano

  • 1-2 Tbsp sugar

  • 2 Tbsp italian seasoning

  • 1 bay leaf

Steps

  • Put oil in the bottom of the saucepan, then add garlic and lightly brown to make it fragrant. (If you are sensitive to garlic or prefer less of a garlic flavor, feel free to reduce the amount used in this recipe.)

  • Add onion (salt and pepper to taste–like ¼ or ½ tsp of both) and continue cooking until the onion is caramelized.

  • Put onion and garlic mixture into a blender, add water to make it easier to blend. Blend until the mixture forms almost a paste. Spoon mixture back into the saucepan.

  • Add the diced tomatoes, sauce, salt, basil, oregano, sugar, italian seasoning, and bay leaf to the pot and stir well. If you desire a smoother mixture, feel free to replace the diced tomatoes with tomato sauce entirely.

  • Simmer on low for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If you want a thinner sauce, keep the mixture covered. If you want to steam off some of the liquid, then leave the lid cracked so more of the steam can escape. (The longer the mixture simmers, the stronger, deeper, and more complex the flavor will be. The bay leaf really adds to this process so don’t leave it out.) Taste after this first hour and make sure the sauce is balanced. Usually if the sauce is off, it needs a touch more sugar (to counter the salt and bitterness) or spices.