Lasagna With Italian Sausage And Spinach Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.