Kale Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna is a weekly staple in our households. This layered casserole is a great way to get in all the components of a meal into one dish: noodles, vegetables, protein, and lots of flavor, making it ideal for weeknight meals or events where you need to feed a crowd. Whether it is a classic lasagna bolognese or a unique buffalo chicken lasagna, we love them all.

Miriam Hahn, recipe developer and health coach, brings us this veggie-packed kale lasagna to sneak in extra veggies. Not only does this lasagna contain kale, but it also has a large serving of sautéed mushrooms in it, contributing to its hearty feel. If you want, you can also add in meat of your choice, like ground beef or turkey. Hahn just recommends to "cook it on the stove and add it to the sauce" layer. Leftovers last for about four days in the fridge, so you and your family can enjoy leftover lasagna throughout the week!

To make this scrumptious kale lasagna, we need to start by gathering ingredients. You will need lasagna noodles, oil, kale, mushrooms, garlic, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, an egg white, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a jar of marinara sauce. If you want to add in extra veggies, Hahn recommends adding in "red peppers, zucchini, or asparagus." If you do not have kale, Hahn mentions that you can "swap spinach for kale", but ensure that you use 10 cups of spinach as the spinach will wilt down more.

Now, let's dive in. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions, then drain the water and set the noodles aside. If you are using no-boil lasagna noodles, you can skip this step. Now, it is time to strip the kale. Using your hands, carefully remove the kale leaves from the stems. Then slice the kale leaves into slivers. In total, you should end up with about 6 cups of kale leaves.

Next up, we will sauté our garlic and mushrooms. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. Once oil is hot, add the garlic and mushrooms. Sauté for about five minutes, to allow the mushrooms to cook down. Then, add in the thinly sliced kale leaves. Stir well and lower heat to low. Continue to sauté for another five minutes until the kale has wilted down and gotten deeper in color.

Now, grab a medium bowl to assemble the lasagna filling. In the bowl, add the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, one egg white, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Using a large wooden spoon, stir well until this mixture is combined. Preheat the oven to 350 F, then spray a large 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, to ensure the lasagna does not stick to the dish. This will make cleanup much easier!

To layer the lasagna, add ¾ cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon. Then, on top of the sauce, add three lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with half of the cheese filling mixture. Spread this out evenly with the back of a spoon. Add the sautéed veggies on top of the filling. Create another layer of sauce, topped by another layer of noodles, cheese, and veggies. Top with the final layer of noodles and the remaining marinara sauce.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the baking dish from the oven and discard of the foil. Top the lasagna with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and return the baking dish to the oven. Allow it to cook uncovered for another five minutes, until the cheese has melted. After the cheese is melted, remove the lasagna from the oven and top with chopped parsley, if desired. Just like that, you have a cheesy, hearty lasagna with a good helping of vegetables — a simple but timeless meal!