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close up of a large slice of pesto lasagna on a plate with fresh basil and a fork
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Pesto Lasagna

This Pesto Lasagna showcases traditional lasagna layers, including tender noodles, meat sauce, and Italian cheeses, with a bonus layer of classic basil pesto.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
Calories 485kcal
Author Amee

Ingredients

  • 8 oz lasagna noodles whole-grain or regular
  • 48 oz marinara sauce your favorite store-bought (I love Rao's Homemade for a short-cut) or homemade
  • 16 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 whole egg
  • ½ cup pesto sauce store-bought or homemade
  • 2 cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 lb lean ground beef *can also use ground bison
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil rinsed and chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend such as McCormick's

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil.
  • Add a little salt.
  • Cook lasagna according to the package directions for al dente (I like to pull it out a couple of minutes short of al dente for the best texture). Drain and set aside.
  • Brown ground beef over medium heat until meat crumbles and is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain any remaining grease.
  • Stir in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil, remove from the heat.
  • In a separate bowl combine ricotta cheese, egg, pesto, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir until mixed.
  • In the bottom of an 11x8 baking dish, spread about a cup of the pasta sauce mixture.
  • Top with 4 noodles.
  • Spread with ½ the ricotta mixture and then more pasta sauce mixture.
  • Add a second layer of noodles and repeat with remaining ingredients.
  • Top with the extra cup of mozzarella and ½ cup parmesan cheese.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
  • Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe Tips
  • When assembling the lasagna, do your best to evenly distribute the meat sauce, pesto, and cheese between each pasta layer.
  • To prevent the noodles from becoming too soft and soggy during baking, do not boil them past al dente. If they’re slightly underdone (my preference- about 2 minutes short of al dente), they’ll continue cooking during baking and turn out perfect.
  • You may need to cover the baking dish with foil for the first part of baking to prevent excessive browning, then remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes so the cheese gets golden and bubbly. 
  • Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the layers to settle, making it easier to slice and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1819mg | Potassium: 934mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1570IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 593mg | Iron: 5mg