Sheet Pan High Protein Lasagna
The viral sheet pan lasagna recipe from Giada De Laurentiis gets a macro-friendly, protein-packed makeover. This layerless lasagna is worth the hype!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 510kcal
Equipment
- 12x17" baking sheet
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- olive oil cooking spray
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb lasagna sheets broken into 2" pieces
- 1 clove garlic chopped (use 1 large clove or 2 smaller cloves)
- 1 tsp seasoned salt divided *I used Morton's Season All
- 6 oz fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1½ cups whipped cottage cheese *full-fat Good Culture brand recommended (or 2%- not fat-free!), or whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 lb 92% lean ground beef
- ½ cup onion diced
- 4½ cups good quality marinara sauce (36 oz) homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella divided (shredded from block)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano divided (shredded from block)
- Red pepper flakes and chopped fresh basil optional: for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and spray a 12x17" baking sheet generously with olive oil spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon of seasoned salt. Cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, stirring often. Transfer to a colander, and press out any excess water. Then combine it in a bowl with the whipped cottage cheese and stir well until combined. Set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet (if needed) and return to medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink and starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and the remaining ½ tsp of seasoned salt and remove from the heat, and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
- While the ground beef is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broken lasagna pieces until they are al dente (about 10 minutes), stirring often to separate. Do not overcook. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Add the noodles to a large bowl, making sure to separate any noodles that have stuck together, and toss with the pasta sauce, ½ cup mozzarella, and ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir until combined.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the sheet pan. Dollop the cottage cheese-spinach mixture evenly across the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1½ cups of mozzarella and ½ cup of grated Parmesan. *Feel free to add extra cheese here, if desired.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden-brown on top. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Garnish with red pepper flakes and extra grated Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
*Giada's original version uses here Giadzy Passata instead of marinara or pasta sauce, but I used premade sauce for convenience. I have a great homemade marinara that would work beautifully here, or go with a good quality sauce, like Botticelli, Rao's, or Carbone.
*Red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and prepared Calabrian chili oil are excellent garnishes.
*I divide the pan into 8 very generous servings. Feel free to cut it into 12 if you need to adjust for your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1501mg | Potassium: 908mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2797IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 454mg | Iron: 4mg