Turkey and Spinach Veggie Lasagna
by Chungah
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VEGETABLE LASAGNA! A healthier alternative to meat lasagna without compromising taste. So cozy, so hearty, and packed with feel-good veggies.
Featured Comment
why i love this vegetable lasagna recipe
- Healthier alternative to traditional heavy beef lasagna. This lasagna recipe is hearty and comforting, packed with a variety of feel good veggies.
- Sneaky nutrition for picky eaters. Those picky eaters won’t even notice any of the vegetables, making this lasagna the perfect recipe for those sneaked-in goods.
- Highly customizable. This recipe can easily be adapted to what you have on hand, throwing in any lingering vegetables for a true clean-out-the-fridge dinner. This can also be adjusted to those with dietary restrictions – make it vegetarian, vegan or even gluten-free!
- Great make-ahead meal. Lasagna can easily be made and assembled ahead of time, making this perfect for a quick, stress-free dinner (also for potlucks and big family gatherings).
- Leftovers taste even better. This is just one of those lovely dishes where the leftovers taste even better the very next day, really letting the lasagna flavors meld and intensify overnight.
- Meal prep staple. Lasagna is an exceptionally freezer-friendly dish – freezing, thawing, and reheating like a dream. Assembled, unbaked lasagna is most recommended for freezing but leftovers can also be frozen as needed.
- Lasagna gift. Homemade lasagna makes for a great neighbor gift, or a friend in need of a cozy meal.
Why add vegetables to lasagna?
Vegetable lasagna is a great, healthier alternative to traditional, meat-based lasagnas, adding in sneaky nutrition without compromising taste.
Vegetable options
Leafy greens, zucchini, bell pepper, butternut squash, broccoli, mushrooms, green beans and carrots can be used, cooking beforehand to remove any excess moisture.
tips and tricks for perfect lasagna every time
- Use lean meats. For a leaner, heartier lasagna, use lean meats such as lean ground beef (93/7), ground turkey, ground chicken or turkey sausage.
- Use no-boil lasagna noodles. To cut down on prep time even more, use no-boil lasagna noodles, making sure the noodles are completely covered in sauce.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a perfect recipe to sneak in leafy greens for added nutrition for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens or arugula will all work very well here, squeezing out any excess moisture to prevent a watery lasagna.
- Let it rest. Let the lasagna sit for 10-15 minutes. This will prevent the layers from sliding off, and will also make it easier to serve with less mess.
- Make ahead of time. Lasagna is a great dish to make ahead of time. Prep and assemble 1-2 days before, covered with aluminum foil and stored in the fridge.
- Freeze before baking. This will preserve the texture and prevent sogginess. Always use a freezer-safe baking dish, label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
pro tip
Combine meats to prevent dryness.
Lean meat has less fat, causing it to dry out. To avoid dryness, try mixing a little bit of lean ground beef with ground turkey, adding a balance of flavor and lower fat while keeping the lasagna moist.
freezing and storage
Prep
To make ahead, cover lasagna tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 24 hours. To bake, let the lasagna sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and bake as directed.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 15-30 minutes.
Freeze before baking
Cover the lasagna tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Freeze after baking
Let the lasagna cool completely; cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 1 hour.
what to serve with turkey and spinach veggie lasagna
Turkey and Spinach Veggie Lasagna: Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! No-boil lasagna noodles are a convenient shortcut to cut down prep time even more. They just need to be completely covered in sauce to cook through properly.
Not at all! Other lean meats can be used instead such as lean ground beef (93/7), ground chicken or turkey sausage.
Feel free to use your favorite store-bought tomato sauce (we love Rao’s Roasted Garlic) in place of the crushed tomatoes and omitting the tomato paste + Italian seasoning.
Kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens or arugula are all great swaps here.
The egg serves as a binding agent for the ricotta cheese mixture. You can certainly skip the egg if needed, leaving the ricotta a little runnier, but it should not compromise taste.
Yes, lasagna is very freezer-friendly! For the best results, we recommend assembling, freezing, then baking to help prevent any sogginess but if you’ve already baked your lasagna, no worries at all – it can still be frozen!
Turkey and Spinach Veggie Lasagna
Ingredients
- 9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 zucchinis, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 12 ounces ground turkey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) package reduced-fat ricotta
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 ½ cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, zucchinis and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in ground turkey and cook until turkey has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning until well combined; bring to a simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan and egg; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
- Spread 1 cup tomato mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat with a second layer. Top with remaining noodles, tomato mixture and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.*
- Place into oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbling. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until top is browned in spots.
- Let cool 15 minutes. Serve, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Very special recipe. Terrific meal. Used ready to bake noodles and added some mild Italian sausage. Will make again. A keeper
This is the all time best healthy lasagna I’ve ever made. I added mushrooms and that is the perfect addition and used no bake noodles. I shared this with my friend and now she’s making it at least twice a month. Thank you for adding a delicious meal to my list of healthy recipes.
I never remember to leave reviews… I have made this time and time again and it’s so good!! I use no boil noodles and to make my life a bit easier I use jarred sauce and it always turned out great! Thanks so much for another amazing recipe. I know anything I make off your site will for sure be damn delicious!!!
If I want to freeze this, do I bake it before freezing, freeze, then bake again?
Can I omit egg? Or should I substitute it with something else and what quantity?
I’m married to an Italian, his Mom has always made the best Lasagna, not as healthy as this recipe. I was excited to try an healthier version, loved your recipe, I did make a couple of changes, sauce needed a little more flavor, I added around 4 ounces of Roa’s marinara, also Zucchini was added last so it would not become to soft. It was absolutely delicious!!
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was delicious! It makes a lot of lasagna and so froze half of it in individual containers after baking. Thanks for the great recipe.
Delicious I made it in my Ninja Grill XL on Bake mode.
I used Hearts of Palm lasagna noodles for a gluten free option. Absolutely delicious! I will be making this one again. Thank you.
Plan to make this. Can I use fresh baby spinach?
I use fresh baby spinach every time I make this.
I use Chickapea brand chick pea lasagna noodles. They are delicious and gluten free for those who eat that way. You also don’t have to pre-cook the noodles.
Really good! The whole family loved it.
Good, but I strongly recommend to adjust the acidity of your sauce and brown your meet separately from the veggies.
LASAGNA is really delicious, you must not miss it :))))
This has been my go-to lasagna recipe for a few years now. I love that it includes lots of veggies and ground turkey, but still tastes rich and decadent (probably thanks to the amazing ricotta filling, go full fat!). I usually use no boil noodles with great success and have made it vegetarian a few times by swapping the turkey for minced mushrooms.
That’s a great idea i’ll try that!
Thank you ! This turned out damn delicious! I love several of your recipes.
I just made this tonight and it is delicious!! I used fresh baby spinach because that’s what I have but it was yummy yum yum!! I think I put extra garlic also
Looks delicious! I’m planning to make this for a family gathering. To clarify, only the bottom and top layers have the tomato mixture?
This was absolutely delicious! I used low fat cottage cheese instead of ricotta (just not a fan of that flavor). Also used tomato sauce instead of paste since I used oven ready noodles which require extra water for baking. Thanks for the recipe!!!
I made this tonight with oven ready noodles and fresh spinach. It was great. My husband raved about it and we’re excited to have the leftovers for this week!
I am on my third time making this! I double the recipe and also ground up beef and sweet sausage.
This was FABULOUS!!!! So excited to have a new healthy recipe. This is way better than regular beef lasagna.