Cheesy, meaty, layered up lasagna the WHOLE family loves but make it high protein, gluten free, and macro friendly?! I got you!
This one can be tweaked a few different ways for a slightly different macro outcome but no matter what, tastes like real-deal lasagna and packs a nutritional punch.
WEEKNIGHT FRIENDLY SHORTCUTS
A good meat sauce can take time to simmer for all of the flavors to really come to life but this is my weeknight shortcut version that honestly tastes JUST as good! And realistic because I will be simmering it for approximately 10 minutes tops and not hours, ha
I’ve got a couple of flavor boosters in there. Coconut aminos add some umami, simmered all day goodness with a little salty sweet with just a couple of tbsp splashed in. And the tomato paste adds a richness as if the sauce has cooked down for hours. Tastes SO rich in a fraction of the time.
Also – boiling lasagna sheets?! Not here. I grab a box of gluten free brown rice lasagna sheets from the Jovial Foods brand. They are SO good – do not read gluten free at all even to the pickiest of eaters (but totally are!)
They can be boiled but don’t have to! I layer them up dry & uncooked and the oven does the hard part for me. Never going back to boiling ever again!
Speaking of easy – if layering up at all sounds like too much – you’ll want to try this recipe of mine instead:
HIGH PROTEIN
I add bone broth to my sauce for a little extra protein & also to give the sauce a little more liquid for the pasta to soak up as it cooks in the oven.
More is more for me when it comes to the meat sauce – I do 2.5 lbs of meat to make it extra hearty!
Ricotta itself adds protein to the dish and is my favorite to use – but you can also see my notes section in the recipe below if you’re a cottage cheese lover and want to swap that in! Adds a little more protein with slightly lower fat / cals.
MACRO FRIENDLY
Lasagna and fats are just a duo – a good lasagna has to have cheese, ya know? But instead of the traditional 4 cups and sneaking the shredded between every layer – I do ricotta only in the middle layers for that creaminess and layered look, and then do just 1 cups shredded on the top! Plus some parmesan (great macros for a cheese) on top of that for a good bubble “crust” and that perfect cheesy flavor.
I really don’t find myself missing anything with this one and it’s been such a crowd pleaser as I’ve served it to many many people over the years! I don’t present it as “healthy lasagna” and no one would ever guess otherwise, ha! It just tastes classic & delicious. 10/10 every time!
MACROS PER SLICE: 546 calories 35g carbs 44g protein 26g fat
SOME OPTIONS!
Pesto whipped in with the ricotta is always a great flavor booster (even just a couple of tbsp!)
We also add some frozen chopped kale and/or a diced onion to the meat sauce if wanting more color & texture.
More on these in the notes section of the recipe below!
THE LAYER LINEUP:
For the visual friends out there – here’s the exact layers you’ll want for your lasagna (starting from the botto):
- meat sauce
- lasagna sheets with ricotta spread
- meat sauce
- lasagna sheets with ricotta spread
- meat sauce
- lasagna sheets with ricotta spread
- remaining meat sauce (covers the whole top generously)
- shredded mozzarella
- grated parmesan + parsley to top
High Protein GF Lasagna
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish
- large skillet
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs ground bison or sub beef or turkey
- 32 oz marinara sauce I like the Classico Organic from Costco
- 1 cup beef bone broth chicken works too!
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 7 oz gluten free organic brown rice lasagna sheets about 10.5 sheets total (linked in notes)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 40 g grated parmesan about 1/4 cup
- fresh or dried parsley for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Make the meat sauce by browning the meat in a large skillet until crumbled fine and cooked through. Stir in the marinara sauce, bone broth, tomato paste, coconut aminos, and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- To a bowl, add the ricotta cheese, 1 tsp of Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp of garlic powder.
- To layer up the lasagna, start by adding 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spreading it out. Take about 3 and 1/2 sheets of lasagna noodles (uncooked) and spread each with a layer of the ricotta mixture (I use the back of a spoon). Lay them out flat.Repeat again for two more layers: 1 1/2 cups meat sauce, lasagna sheets with ricotta spread. There should be 3 layers of pasta with ricotta on top.For the final steps, pour the remaining meat sauce over top of the last pasta layer then top with a layer of 1 cup mozzarella cheese and pamesan sprinkled on top. Add some fresh or dried parsley on top then cover with foil.
- Transfer the foil covered dish to the oven and bake for 55 minutes. The pasta will cook in the oven! Remove the foil, then bake for 10 more minutes or until bubbly on top (you can always broil for 1-2 extra if you want more color).
- Let the lasagna sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into 8 portions and serving.
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