5 secrets to healthier lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods. Although it's not exactly the most stellar meal nutritionally, its cheesy goodness is irresistible. But with a few easy swaps, you can make your favorite lasagna recipe healthier. Lasagna actually has quite a lot going for it, health-wise—it's all in how you assemble it.

When developing Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna (see recipe below) we came up with some strategies to cut fat and calories and boost fiber in lasagna, without sacrificing flavor. (See more recipe makeovers of your favorite comfort foods here.) Here are our 5 secrets to making healthier lasagna:

1. Swap whole-wheat lasagna noodles for regular ones to increase fiber.
2. Use full-flavored Italian turkey sausage instead of pork sausage to cut saturated fat.
3. Add frozen spinach to add nutrients and bulk up the filling with minimal calories.
4. Replace some of the sausage with sliced mushrooms; mushrooms have a "meaty" flavor that is as satisfying as meat but with far less calories and fat.
5. Use part-skim cheeses instead of full-fat versions to reduce calories and saturated fat.

Try these techniques with your favorite pasta recipe, or make our healthy lasagna recipes for Classic Lasagna with ground beef and creamy cheese, our vegetarian Caramelized Onion Lasagna or our quick Lasagna Rolls.

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna
Vegetarian Variation: Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.

8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (see Vegetarian Variation, above)
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

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 browned, about 4 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.
Makes 10 servings.
Per serving: 333 calories; 14 g fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono); 41 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 7 g fiber; 655 mg sodium; 606 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (128% daily value), Calcium (23% dv), Iron (21% dv), Folate (19% dv), Potassium (17% dv).

By Carolyn Malcoun

When associate editor Carolyn Malcoun came to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute, she knew she didn't want to work in a restaurant but knew that she wanted to do something in the food industry. Luckily she discovered EatingWell, where she's able to combine her love of food and writing.

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