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Monster Lasagna

Ingredients

Bolognese Sauce

  • 1 lb (454 g) ground turkey
  • 1 lb (454 g) ground chicken
  • 2 oz (60 g) tomato paste
  • ¼ cup (60 g) water
  • 4 pieces turkey bacon sliced
  • 8 cloves of garlic minced (20 grams)
  • 1 onion diced (160 grams)
  • 1 bell pepper diced (70 grams)
  • 1 ½ cups (315 g) dry red wine
  • 30 oz (850 g) can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp (5 g) ground fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp (4 g) ground fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
  • 1 ½ tbsps (4 g) oregano
  • 1 tbsp (3 g) thyme
  • salt
  • pepper

Roasted Vegetables

  • 1 eggplant sliced in 1/2 inch thick pieces
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

Ricotta Filling

  • 15 oz (425 g) ricotta
  • 9 oz (225 g) spinach, sauteed and drained
  • 2 tbsp (5 g) basil
  • 1 tbsp (3 g) oregano
  • 1/2 tbsp (6 g) garlic powder
  • 1 tsp (4 g) onion powder
  • 1 tsp (3 g) ground cumin
  • pinch of pepper

Béchamel Sauce

  • 4 tbsp (56 g) butter
  • 4 tbsp (42 g) flour
  • 1 1/4 cup (290 g) milk
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • salt
  • pepper

Assembly

  • 24 oz marinara sauce
  • lasagna noodles cooked
  • mozzarella shredded

Instructions

Bolognese Sauce

  • Combine and generously season the ground turkey and chicken with salt and pepper. Combine the tomato paste and water in a bowl. Add the crushed tomatoes and whisk together. Heat a large pan over medium-high. Add the turkey bacon and cook until just cooked. Toss in the garlic and cook for about a minute.
  • Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the ground turkey and chicken and cook until it starts to brown. Once the meat has browned, add the red pepper flakes, fennel, fenugreek, sugar, oregano, and basil. Add the red wine and let it reduce by half. Finally, add the tomato mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Set aside until you assemble the lasagna.

Roasted Vegetables

  • Place the cut eggplant into a bowl and salt generously. Place a plate and some weight on top of the eggplant and let it sit like that for at least an hour. This is going to help reduce the amount of water in the eggplant.
  • Preheat an oven to 400°F. After the hour has passed, remove the plate and pour out the excess water. Place the eggplant in the bowl and toss with olive oil. Transfer to a heated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Flip them and roast for another 15 minutes. Set aside until you assemble the lasagna.

Ricotta Filling

  • In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Mix in the spinach until fully combined. Set aside until you assemble the lasagna.

Béchamel Sauce

  • Place a saucepan over medium high heat and begin to melt the butter. Add the flour and cook until it is nice and thick. Add the pinch of nutmeg. Slowly add the milk while constantly stirring the mixture. You want this sauce to remain decently thick and creamy. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to your liking. Set aside until you assemble the lasagna.

Assembly

  • Preheat an oven to 450°F. Now that all the elements are ready, it is time to start constructing the lasagna. In a large deep baking dish, start with a layer of marinara sauce followed by a layer of noodles. Top with half of bolognese.
  • Spread half of the bechamel over the bolognese and top with more noodles.
  • Cover the noodles with a layer of marinara sauce. Carefully spread all of the ricotta filling, top with the all of the roasted eggplant, and another layer of noodles.
  • Top with the remaining bolognese and bechamel. Top with one last layer of noodles. Top with one last layer of marinara sauce and generous top with mozzarella cheese. Wrap the dish in a layer of plastic wrap and then some aluminum foil on top of that. The plastic wrap will help keep the cheese from sticking on the aluminum foil as it bakes and will not melt because of the aluminum foil covering it.
  • Place it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. After it is done baking, remove the foil and plastic wrap and bake for a few more minutes to crisp up the cheese. Let it rest for 10 minutes, cut, and serve.