If you have read much of my blog it will be no secret to you that I love Italian food so of course I am a massive fan of lasagne.
But sometimes we want a bit of a lighter version but still want the deliciousness – enter low calorie lasagne.
It is so packed with flavour you won’t even know it’s low calorie. Whip one up and freeze it in portions for easy Italian take-out dinner fresh from the freezer.
The ingredients
Ingredients
To make this low calorie lasagna recipe you will need just a few simple ingredients:
Lean beef mince – also called lean ground beef
Garlic cloves – crushed
Canned tomato soup
Water
Tomato paste
Cottage cheese – use low fat if you want to reduce the fat
Spinach – fresh or frozen
Fresh lasagna sheets – also called lasagna noodles
Fresh basil
Parmesan – grated
Instructions
Step 1
Lay out the ingredients. I like to do this so I don’t forget anything.
Step 2
Start by browning the mince and breaking it up as it browns.
Step 3
When the mince has browned, add the minced garlic, tomato soup, 1 cup of water and 150g of tomato paste and bring the pot to the boil. Reduce it to a simmer, cover and leave it to simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Step 4
While the sauce is thickening beat the cottage cheese until it’s smooth. Ricotta can be used in place of cottage cheese.
Step 5
Add the baby spinach to the cottage cheese bowl and stir in a little of the tomato/meat sauce.
Step 6
Add the rest of the sauce and mix until it’s all well combined.
Step 7
In a jug, combine the rest of the water and tomato paste with the basil.
Step 8
Time to assemble the lasagna. Start by spreading ⅓ of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 9
Cover it with a lasagna sheet followed by another ⅓ of the sauce, another lasagna sheet, the rest of the sauce and the last lasagna sheet.
Step 10
Spread the basil and tomato sauce over the last lasagna sheet and sprinkle the parmesan over the top. Bake the lasagna at 180C/360F fan-forced for 30 minutes.
Step 11
Let it cool slightly in the dish then serve it up.
Tip
I used frozen cottage cheese. It made it a lot easier to beat out to a smooth consistency.
Recipe
Low calorie beef lasagna
Low calorie beef lasagna is just like your rich creamy favourite but with a lot fewer calories than the traditional version.
Add the minced garlic, tomato soup, 1 cup of water and 150g (5oz) of tomato paste and bring the pot to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and leave it to simmer for 30 mins or until the sauce has thickened.
Preheat the oven to 180C/360F fan-forced. Beat the cottage cheese in a large bowl with wooden spoon til smooth then add the spinach and a little of the meat sauce and mix until combined. Stir through the rest of the meat sauce.
In a lasagna dish, spread a small amount of the meat/spinach sauce on the bottom.
Lay a lasagna sheet on top then top with more meat mixture. Repeat finishing with the third lasagna sheet.
Combine the basil with the remaining tomato paste and water. Pour it over the top of the lasagna and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
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