Lasagna with Turkey Italian Sausage and Vegetables

I was in the mood for lasagna, and I wanted to find a way to make it healthy & delicious, so I created this lasagna with turkey Italian sausage and vegetables recipe. This veggie-loaded lasagna was fun to make, packed with flavor, and tasted delicious with a simple Italian salad and crusty bread.

Lasagna with Turkey Italian Sausage and Vegetables

Filling:

• 5-6 turkey Italian sausages
• Cooking spray
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• ½ cup broccoli florets, chopped
• ½ cup carrots, shredded
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• ½ tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Ricotta Mixture:

• 30 oz ricotta cheese
• ½ cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1 egg, well-beaten
• 1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg

Remaining Ingredients:

• 9-12 lasagna noodles, cooked per instructions
• 6 cups of homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store-bought

How to Make a Lasagna with Turkey Italian Sausage and Vegetables:

Cook the sausage by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casing and cook, breaking into small crumbles. Once cooked, drain and discard the grease, and pour the sausage into a bowl.

Cook the vegetables by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the onion and red pepper and cook until tender. Remove from heat & place in a separate bowl.

Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; about 5 minutes.

Add the zucchini, broccoli, carrots, garlic, basil, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 60 seconds, then remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the onions and peppers.

Prepare the ricotta mixture by combining the ricotta cheese, spinach, ½ cup of mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.

Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Drain. Separate noodles on a tea towel.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.

Prepare the lasagna by spreading a little bit of marinara sauce over the bottom of the dish.

Layer with 3 lasagna noodles (or more if needed).

Spread some of the ricotta mixture on the bottom, then add a little bit of turkey Italian sausage, and lastly a little bit of the vegetable mixture.

Layer 3 more noodles, more sauce, more ricotta, more sausage, and vegetables.

Add 3 more noodles and the remaining sauce.

Top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle the last 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese on top.

Spray one side of the foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.

Bake the lasagna in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil cover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Lasagna with Turkey Italian Sausage and Vegetables

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large skillet
• Large pot
• 9x13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

Filling:

• 5-6 turkey Italian sausages
• Cooking spray
• 2 tbsp olive oil divided
• ½ onion diced
• ½ red pepper diced
• 1 lb mushrooms sliced
• 1 zucchini diced
• ½ cup broccoli florets chopped
• ½ cup carrots shredded
• 5 cloves of garlic chopped finely
• ½ tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Ricotta Mixture:

• 30 oz ricotta cheese
• ½ cup fresh spinach chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (divided)
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese shredded (divided)
• 1 egg well-beaten
• 1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg

Remaining Ingredients:

• 9-12 lasagna noodles cooked per instructions
• 6 cups of homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store-bought

Instructions

• Cook the sausage by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casing and cook, breaking into small crumbles. Once cooked, drain and discard the grease, and pour the sausage into a bowl.
• Cook the vegetables by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the onion and red pepper and cook until tender. Remove from heat & place in a separate bowl.
• Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; about 5 minutes.
• Add the zucchini, broccoli, carrots, garlic, basil, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 60 seconds, then remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the onions and peppers.
• Prepare the ricotta mixture by combining the ricotta cheese, spinach, ½ cup of mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.
• Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Drain. Separate noodles on a tea towel.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
• Prepare the lasagna by spreading a little bit of marinara sauce over the bottom of the dish.
• Layer with 3 lasagna noodles (or more if needed).
• Spread some of the ricotta mixture on the bottom, then add a little bit of turkey Italian sausage, and lastly a little bit of the vegetable mixture.
• Layer 3 more noodles, more sauce, more ricotta, more sausage, and vegetables.
• Add 3 more noodles and the remaining sauce.
• Top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle the last 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese on top.
• Spray one side of the foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
• Bake the lasagna in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil cover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

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