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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I’m planning on making this for a meal train family that doesn’t eat red meat so the turkey is perfect! Since it’s two adults & a toddler I don’t think they need a full 9×13 pan. If I do two 9 x 5 loaf pans (one ready to eat & one for the freezer) do you think baking times need to be adjusted?
Yes, baking time may have to be adjusted accordingly. But as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications. Good luck!
Okay, let me rephrase. If I am splitting the recipe in half, by how much does the cooking time need to be reduced? 20, 15, 10 minutes?
Kasey, unfortunately without further recipe testing, we cannot advise the appropriate cooking time when halving the recipe at this time.
Update: the recipe as listed above will make two 8×8 pans with 4 layers of noodles each. From the fridge overnight I baked at 350 for 1 hour covered, then broiled uncovered for 8 minutes. Came out perfectly. I also added half of a red bell pepper in with the sauce because it needed to be used.
Toddler happily are it and parents both enjoyed it and were pleased at veggie content. I think I’ll try this with zucchini noodles next time!
It was so delicious, I really loved this recipe with the turkey meat. OMG yassss
Definitely recommend
I made this but mine didn’t turn out saucy like the pic and looks like my ricotta curdled. Any tips for next time?
Hi! Could you tell me if the lasagna needs to be covered or uncovered while baking? Thank you!
Jennifer, the lasagna does not have to be covered unless you are making this ahead of time. Recipes will typically specify when a cover is needed.
Thank you. Made this tonight and it was delicious. The family really enjoyed it!
Has anyone ever tried 1/2 ground turkey 1/2 ground sausage in this recipe? Just curious…. I may try it.
I haven’t actually eaten yet but was so easy to make! What temperature do I bake at? Thank you!
350 degrees F.
Yummy! Even our picky eaters ate it up! (Though one still picked out the zucchini, oh well, still got the other goodness)
Loved this! This is officially my go to lasagna from here on out!
At what point do you freeze it for best taste? After you assemble the cooked ingredients but before you bake it or after you bake the whole thing?
It is best to freeze prior to baking. 🙂
Can you use broccoli and eggplant instead of spinach instead?
Of course! What a great idea!
I have made this in the ast, and it is delicious. Can you use oven ready pasta in it, and if so, do you need to change the oven time?
I’ve used oven ready pasta with this before, but I left the oven time the same. However, please use your best judgement when making modifications.
I made this yesterday, refridgerated it over night, and had it for dinner tonight. It was delicious, and I will definitely make it again. I didn’t have carrots, but they weren’t missed. Next time I will make sure I have carrots in the fridge. Everyone raved about it.
Awesome Diana!
I love this recipe. But I only have Oven Ready Lasagna. Would I have to add more ‘ Sauce’ as it does soak up more of the sauce while cooking.
Yes, that would be a great idea, Pam!
can this be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge to be cooked in a day or two?
Yes.
Glad to see you have not left out our part of the world. S.A. wines are the best although we don’t have perambulating bars up here in joburg.
I found your blog quite by chance but surely glad I did. Great ideas and recipes.
Hey, Chungah!
This lasagna recipe looks incredible! I would also eat them any time of day or night!
The looks amazing, can’t wait to make it. Our family love lasagna. I love the veggies you added into the recipe, I just hope my picky eating son will eat it to. Thanks for sharing. Yum!
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing!! So much flavor and so filling. I loved this recipe! My picky eater boyfriend didn’t even mind all the veggies. FYI this recipe is filling and big, so for two people you will have lots of leftovers.
Thank you for this lasagna recipe I’m going to make it vegetarian looks delicious !
Loved Your recipe!! I have a lot of leftovers. Can I freeze cooked individual portions?
Yes, you can!
my family doesn’t care for the consistency of ricotta. Any suggestions for substitution? ty
Yes! You can use a lower-fat option such as small curd cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese is a great sub for ricotta. I use it in a stuffed shells recipe. I think it actually give an even creamier texture.