Easy Use-What-You-Have Lasagna [Gluten Free/Grain Free]

Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted a recipe on here...and I’ll tell you what, shit’s just hit the fan big time. 2020. What a year. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy out there (by out there, I mean at your homes)! I know many of you are in similar situations as I am, stuck at home without any real access to the outside world. Everything in NYC is closed down except the essentials like pharmacies and grocery stores, but even still, I’m trying to avoid going out as much as possible other than for a run or walk (while maintaining my 6+ feet!). 

Since I’m not working or going into classes for the immediate future, I thought I’d try to share some recipes that can be made using some of those nonperishable pantry staples we’ve probably all stocked up on by now such as pasta, pasta sauce, frozen meat, etc.  Starting with the fan favorite comfort food, lasagna! Because let’s be real, we could all use a little comfort in our lives at the moment. 

This recipe is super simple and easy to swap in and out different ingredients depending on what you have in your pantry or freezer. It’s also a great recipe to feed a larger family, to prep for the week ahead, or to freeze to have on hand for a later time.  

The recipe as I made it is grain and gluten free, using green lentil lasagna sheets, and has extra veggies snuck in the layers. I also used ground chicken we had on hand. However, any type of lasagna sheet is fine and feel free to sub in whatever kinds of veggies or meat (frozen or fresh) that you have as well. The key is just to make a nutritious, filling meal with what you have on hand! 

If you give this tasty recipe a try, be sure to let me know what you think and tag me on Instagram! 

Stay healthy,

Steph

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 35-40 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes 

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lb ground chicken (or any kind of ground meat)

• ½ yellow onion, diced 

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 4 cups Rao’s Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce (any pasta sauce will do -- about 1 and a half jars)

• 12 [1 box] sheets of oven ready lasagna sheets (I used Explore Cuisine’s green lentil sheets, but any kind that you have will work)

• 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced

• 2 cups fat free ricotta 

• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella

• Basil for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and prepare a 9x13” baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and onion until the onion is starting to turn translucent. Add the ground meat and cook until browned and completely cooked. 

3. In the prepped baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with pasta sauce (reserving enough for 3 more layers). Add the rest of the pasta sauce into the skillet with the cooked meat and stir until thoroughly mixed. 

4. Now begin layering the lasagna, starting with the lasagna sheets on top of the base layer of sauce, next a layer of the meat sauce, followed by a layer of the sliced zucchini, then ricotta and a small sprinkle of the mozzarella (reserve a majority of the mozzarella for the top). Repeat this until you have 3 layers of noodles. 

5. On the top layer of the noodles, add the remaining meat sauce, ricotta, and then top with a generous amount of mozzarella. 

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the noodles are soft and the top is a nice golden brown.

7. Sprinkle with basil and enjoy!