Just like mamma used to make, only better for you! By using a mixture of fat-free ricotta and low-fat cottage cheese, we’ve slashed loads of unnecessary calories while maintaining a true traditional taste. People all over Austin have fallen in love with our layers of lasagna noodles combined with our homemade meat sauce and light cheeses. It tastes so much like the real deal that you won’t believe it’s light.

　　

Ingredients

makes 10 servings

　　1 pound lean ground beef round

　　Salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

　　Cooking spray

　　1 cup chopped onion

　　5 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

　　1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

　　1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

　　1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

　　1/4 cup dried parsley

　　2 teaspoons dried oregano

　　1 teaspoon dried basil

　　2 cups nonfat cottage cheese

　　1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

　　1 (15-ounce) container nonfat ricotta

　　1 egg white

　　12 no-boil lasagna noodles

　　8 ounces store-bought shredded Italian cheese mix (2 cups)

　　

Step 1

Season the meat with salt and pepper, and put it in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Cook the meat, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until browned throughout, about 10 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat and set the meat aside.

　　

Step 2

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Coat the pan with cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 8 minutes. Return the meat to the pan. Add the diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the oregano, and basil. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover the pan and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove the pan from heat.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

　　

Step 4

Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, ricotta, and egg white in a large bowl. Stir well, and set aside.

　　

Step 5

Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Arrange four of the lasagna noodles over the tomato mixture; top with half of the cottage cheese mixture, 2 1/4 cups of the tomato mixture, and 2/3 cup of the Italian cheese mix. Repeat the layers once, then end with an additional layer of noodles. Spread the remaining tomato mixture over the top.

　　

Step 6

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the lasagna with the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese mix, and bake for 10 more minutes. Let the lasagne stand for 10 minutes before serving.

　　

note

Step 7

Great for freezing! See our Freezer Tips on pages 23–27.

　　

Step 8

This dish has plenty of sauce and is perfect for using no-boil lasagna noodles, which will save you the hassle of first cooking dried lasagna noodles.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.