Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

10 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours


* 8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
* 1 pound vegetarian sausage, crumbled
* 4 cups sliced mushrooms, (10 ounces)
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
* 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese, (2 cups)
* 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until not quite tender, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until it is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.
4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.
6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Vegetarian Variation: Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.