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Rustic Mediterranean Diet Lasagna with the Freshest Tomatoes, Basil & Italian Parsley

Rustic, coarsely chopped & signature twist—chopped carrots for sweetness.
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Lasagna, Mediterranean Diet Lasagna, Rustic Lasagna
Servings: 6
Calories: 1031kcal

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 4 tbsp garlic or 1 clove
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 lb ground meat
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 4 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 large can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 medium can tomato paste

Layers

  • 2 lb lasagna noodles
  • 2 lb medium tomatoes, quartered essentially 2 large packages
  • 2 large bunches flat leaf italian parsely (FLIP)
  • 2 large bunches basil just use the leaf, discard stems
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 1 lb ricotta cheese or 2 medium containers

Topping

  • 2 tbsp Italian herbs
  • 1 spinkle salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F.  Precook the lasagna noodles 8-12 minutes per package instructions.
  • In a large skillet, start the garlic, and onions for 5 minutes add the ground meats over medium heat.
  • Cuisinart coarsely chop the carrots. Throw in the three seasonings – salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned and almost fully cooked.
    Stir in the tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Turn off the heat immediately and remove from heat (otherwise it will get too watery)
  • In a large, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Add the chopped basil and parsley.
  • Spread a layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a deep ceramic bowl or a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by a layer of cheese mixture and fresh tomatoes.
  • Repeat with layers meat-garlic-onion-carrot-sauce layer, cheese-basil-parlsey-mixture layer, salt, pepper, and fresh tomato layer until all of the ingredients are used up – ending with a layer of fresh tomatoes on top.
  • Sprinkle the three seasonings – salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on top.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly.

Notes

    • Serve with a side salad of fresh basil, arugula or parsley, or an Italian salad with oil and vinegar (an acid) or Italian dressing with herbs to complement.
    • Feel free to customize this recipe by adding your favorite vegetables, such as zucchini or eggplant, to the meat mixture and layer.
    • This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for later use. Simply assemble the lasagna as directed and cover it tightly with foil before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer. To bake a refrigerated lasagna, remove the foil and bake it for 45-50 minutes at 375°F, or until hot and bubbly. For a frozen lasagna, bake it for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 375°F, or until it is hot and bubbly.
  • Note, if you are freezing the lasagna, only the top layer of noodles needs to be precooked. The other noodles can be dry as they will cook later chewier (al dente) - which will make them hold up better in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 1031kcal | Carbohydrates: 129g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1368mg | Potassium: 1422mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 9716IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 272mg | Iron: 6mg
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