Lasagna With Italian Sausage And Spinach Food

SPINACH AND SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, water, Italian seasoning and salt. Combine ricotta, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a small bowl., Spread 1 cup sauce mixture in a greased oval 5-qt. slow cooker. Layer with three noodles (breaking noodles if necessary to fit), 1-1/4 cups sauce mixture and half of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Layer with remaining noodles and sauce mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese., Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle servings with Parmesan cheese.

OUR FAVORITE LASAGNA WITH SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND THREE CHEESES

Steps:

• Preparation:
• Position the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
• Make the sauce:
• In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the sausage, onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, red-pepper flakes, and tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes (along with their juice) and oregano; bring to a simmer, and cook, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until in small pieces, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more red-pepper flakes if desired.
• Make the filling:
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the filling ingredients and process until mostly smooth.
• Assemble the lasagna:
• Squeeze the spinach in a paper towel or clean dishcloth until very dry. Transfer to a bowl and season with a pinch of salt.
• Coat baking dish with cooking spray and spread the bottom with 2 cups sauce. Top with a layer of three noodles, then a third of the ricotta mixture (about 1 1/3 cups), and a third of the spinach (about 2/3 cup). Sprinkle with 1 cup grated mozzarella.
• Repeat twice more, skipping the mozzarella on the third layer. Top the lasagna with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups mozzarella in clusters so some of the sauce peeks through.
• Place the baking pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly spray a piece of foil with cooking spray, cover the lasagna, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until lightly browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
• DO AHEAD: The sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. The filling can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

LASAGNA WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse cooked lasagna noodles and set aside. Be sure that you don't use more than 12 oz. or the lasagna will be too dry.
• Meanwhile, in a dutch oven or other large vessel, put the oil, onion and green bell pepper. Saute over medium heat until the onion is tender.
• Add the sausage and garlic and stir-fry until well browned, chopping up the meat as you stir, to make sure all of the pieces are small.
• Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, basil and 1 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, press out the water from the thawed spinach so that it is very dry. Put the spinach into a medium-size mixing bowl.
• Add the cottage cheese, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoons salt and black pepper to the spinach. Stir until well mixed.
• In another medium-size bowl put the grated Mozzarella cheese.
• In a lasagna pan that you have oiled, put down 1/3 of the tomato-meat sauce.
• Cover with 1/2 of the lasagna noodles.
• Top with 1/2 of the spinach-cottage cheese filling.
• Top with half of the mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat using 1/3 of the tomato-meat sauce, remaining noodles, remaining spinach filling and mozzarella cheese.
• Top with the remaining 1/3 of the tomato-meat sauce and sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the very top.
• Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 45 minutes.
• You might wonder whether or not there is enough tomato sauce, but once the lasagna heats up and the cheese gets gooey, there is enough sauce. I don't like a a lasagna with lots of runny heavy tomato sauce that covers the taste of everything else in the lasagna. If you feel like you need a bit more, add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce to the tomato-meat sauce.

SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
• Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
• Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining sausage mixture.
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.
• Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into pieces.

MUSHROOM LASAGNA WITH HOT SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 10x15-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Slice sausage links.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage and onions in the hot skillet until sausage is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until soft and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain excess grease.
• Place spinach in a medium bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 3 1/2 minutes. Pour in ricotta cheese and beaten egg. Stir well until blended.
• Combine Alfredo sauce and milk in a medium bowl. Mix well.
• Spread about 1/2 cup sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place 3 uncooked noodles over sauce. Spread 1/2 of the spinach mixture over the noodles followed by 1/2 of the sausage mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Place 3 more noodles on top and pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over top of noodles followed by remaining sausage mixture. Sprinkle with another 1/3 of mozzarella. Place 3 more noodles over the mozzarella and pour remaining sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
• Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the dish tightly, sprayed-side down.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until noodles are soft and lasagna is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE-SPINACH ALFREDO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a large skillet brown the turkey sausage meat in 1 tablespoon oil along with the onion, garlic and cayenne pepper; cook breaking up the sausage meat while browning.
• Cook until browned then add in the chopped red peppers; cook for another 2 minutes; drain fat and set aside.
• Place the spinach in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes; place in a small colinder, rinse under cold water then hand-squeeze very dry.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl, then add in the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, fresh garlic, 1 egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, seasoned salt and black pepper; mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Spread 1 cup alfredo sauce onto the bottom of prepared baking dish, then top with 4 cooked lasagna noodles, then HALF of the ricotta/spinach mixture, then sprinkle HALF of the sausage mixture on top.
• Place about 1 cup (or more) of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sausage.
• Repeat the layers (using 1 cup sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, remaining HALF of the spinach/ricotta mixture and then remaining HALF of the sausage mixture).
• Top with remaining 4 lasagna noodles, then 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ( can use more cheese).
• Drizzle remaining alfredo sauce over the shredded cheese, then sprinkle with about 3/4 to 1 cup Parmesan cheese (or to taste).
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes.
• Let stand for 20 minutes (or more) before slicing.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Saute the onions and garlic in a heavy iron pot in olive oil, until translucent, then remove from pot, and set aside.
• Put sausage in pot with ground fennel and brown.
• Add basil, oregano, and parsley.
• Stir in onions and garlic, as well as tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste.
• Let simmer gently about 2-3 hours.
• Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions, and hang to dry.
• Beat together eggs, ricotta and parmesan cheese, set aside.
• Build lasanga:.
• Barely cover bottom of large, deep lasagna pan with sauce.
• Place a layer of noodles lengthwise over sauce.
• Place all of spinach over noodles.
• Cover this with a layer of noodles shortwise.
• Spread ricotta cheese mixture over noodles, and cover this with a lengthwise layer of noodles.
• Put one half of remaining sauce over noodles and cover with shortwise noodles.
• place mozzerella cheese over noodles into a somewhat solid sheet and cover with lengthwise noodles.
• Pour remaining sauce over top.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly.
• Grate hard cheese over top as soon as you pull it from the oven.
• Serve with Italian bread and a salad.

LASAGNA SPINACI (ITALIAN SPINACH LASAGNA)

Steps:

• Prepare marinara: Saute onions in saucepan. Do not brown.
• Add liquid drained from diced tomatoes.
• Add basil, Italian seasoning, oregano, sugar & red peppers.
• Simmer 30 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Add all tomatoes & garlic, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat & set aside.
• Prepare Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse, return to pot & cover w/ cold water.
• Prepare Filling: Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook 20 seconds. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
• Stir in ricotta, parmesan, olives, crushed red pepper, salt and 1/2-2/3 c marinara.
• Spread 1/3-1/2 cup marinara in bottom of 9x13" baking dish.
• Line bottom of baking dish with single layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon layer of filling over noodles and spread evenly.
• If desired, add layer of cooked Italian sausage. Repeat layers. Top with marinara sauce & mozarella.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbling & cheese melted.
• Can be frozen up to 1 month.

THREE-CHEESE LASAGNA WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, 10-12 minutes.
• Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat as you stir, about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Discard bay leaf.
• Set aside and cool.
• Combine ricotta and ¾ cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl.
• Mix in spinach.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mix in eggs.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Spread ½ cup sauce over the bottom of a 13" by 9" glass baking dish.
• Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit.
• Spread half of the ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles.
• Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture.
• Spoon 1½ cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick).
• Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1½ cups sauce.
• Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce.
• Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
• Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the lasagna.
• Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 more minutes.
• Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE SPINACH ALFREDO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in the spinach and Alfredo sauce. Season with pepper. Continue cooking until spinach and sauce are heated through.
• In a bowl, mix the Cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg.
• In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer 1/3 of the sausage mixture, 1/3 of the noodles, and 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, and top with mozzarella cheese.
• Cover, and bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, lightly oil and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan cook the sausage until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.
• Add marinara sauce to the sausage mixture and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, blend cottage or ricotta cheese, egg, ¼ cup of the cheese blend and the chopped spinach; set aside.
• Coat a 9x13" baking dish with olive oil and spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom.
• Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread ¼ of the cottage or ricotta cheese mixture on the noodles and layer on 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese blend. Repeat this process three more times starting with the noodles and finish with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese blend. Sprinkle with oregano on top.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.