This streamlined, delicious lasagna recipe can be in the oven in minutes. The actual cook time is fairly lengthy, though, so it’s a meal I often make on a Sunday and have the leftovers for a meal or two - or three - over the course of the next week. It also freezes exceptionally well if you want to save some for later, or if you are a small household.
The beauty of it is that once it’s baking - and you have done the quick job of washing your salad greens and leaving them to drain, as I always suggest doing for every dinner meal - then you can go about doing whatever other business you have to tend to in your household.
It’s just that easy.
Just don’t forget to set a timer to remind yourself when the cooking time is up. Even after decades of cooking, I still rely heavily on these buzzers to jog my memory when food needs to be checked. They have saved me from many a burned meal when I got absorbed in doing something elsewhere in the house.
It’s just that easy.
Just don’t forget to set a timer to remind yourself when the cooking time is up. Even after decades of cooking, I still rely heavily on these buzzers to jog my memory when food needs to be checked. They have saved me from many a burned meal when I got absorbed in doing something elsewhere in the house.
As an aside, this recipe uses canned soup, something I normally try to avoid, due to the heavy salt content. In fact, I usually try to avoid most canned products when I’m cooking, with the exception of legumes and tomato ones, which I rely on quite heavily.
In this case, the soup simplifies the process enough to make it very worthwhile, in my opinion. The alternative for this recipe would be to make a cream mushroom sauce from scratch, something that is certainly doable, but time consuming and probably not at all realistic for most families.
I also feel that since this recipe makes 12-16 servings, the sodium content is diluted somewhat. So while I might not recommend eating canned soup every day, occasionally it’s fine for most of us who have no blood pressure issues.
This recipe costs less than $12, putting it at around $1 – or somewhat less - per serving. When served with a tossed green salad and whole grain garlic bread of some type, the total per person meal cost comes in at well under $1.50. Pretty darned cheap for a meal that packs lots of nutrition and flavor.
Here's the recipe:
In this case, the soup simplifies the process enough to make it very worthwhile, in my opinion. The alternative for this recipe would be to make a cream mushroom sauce from scratch, something that is certainly doable, but time consuming and probably not at all realistic for most families.
I also feel that since this recipe makes 12-16 servings, the sodium content is diluted somewhat. So while I might not recommend eating canned soup every day, occasionally it’s fine for most of us who have no blood pressure issues.
This recipe costs less than $12, putting it at around $1 – or somewhat less - per serving. When served with a tossed green salad and whole grain garlic bread of some type, the total per person meal cost comes in at well under $1.50. Pretty darned cheap for a meal that packs lots of nutrition and flavor.
Here's the recipe:
Broccoli-Mushroom Lasagna
Makes about 8-10 hearty servings
Freezes very well
Prep time – Approx. 15 minutes
Start to finish time – Approx. 2 hours
Total recipe cost – Approx. $10.00
Total per person meal cost with fresh bread and tossed salad – Approx. $1.75
Makes about 8-10 hearty servings
Freezes very well
Prep time – Approx. 15 minutes
Start to finish time – Approx. 2 hours
Total recipe cost – Approx. $10.00
Total per person meal cost with fresh bread and tossed salad – Approx. $1.75
Ingredients:
3 10-ounce cans mushroom soup
2½ cups low fat or skim milk (or you can substitute yogurt)
2 10-ounce packages frozen, chopped broccoli
24 ounces low fat cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces mozzarella, brick form or pre-grated (2 cups)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
15 lasagna noodles, preferably whole grain (1 pound box)
1-2 teaspoons ground pepper (approximately)
Procedure:
Recipe continues after photos.
Ingredients:
3 10-ounce cans mushroom soup
2½ cups low fat or skim milk (or you can substitute yogurt)
2 10-ounce packages frozen, chopped broccoli
24 ounces low fat cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces mozzarella, brick form or pre-grated (2 cups)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
15 lasagna noodles, preferably whole grain (1 pound box)
1-2 teaspoons ground pepper (approximately)
Procedure:
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Thaw the 2 boxes of chopped broccoli in a microwavable container (sometimes the box itself is microwavable, so you can just put it on a plate in its package) in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Break the 3 eggs into a medium mixing bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the 24 ounces of cottage cheese and mix together well with the beaten egg.
- Empty the 3 cans of mushroom soup into a different, large mixing bowl and slowly blend in the 2½ cups of milk with a whisk, removing any lumps and blending well. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Set aside.
- Grate the 8 ounces of mozzarella onto a plate or measure out 2 cups of pre-grated and set aside.
Recipe continues after photos.
Putting It Together:
Recipe continues after photos
- Spread about ½ cup of the mushroom soup mixture onto the bottom of a 10 x 13 lasagna pan.
- Top the mushroom soup with 5 of the lasagna noodles (4 lengthwise and 1 crosswise - you will have to break the crosswise one to get it to fit).
- Sprinkle a bit of pepper over the noodles.
- Spread about one-third (2½ cups) of the mushroom soup mix over the noodles
- Then sprinkle one-third (⅔ cup) of the mozzarella, and one-third (2½ tablespoons) of the Parmesan over the top.
- Follow this by layering one-half (1 box or 1¼ cups) of the broccoli, and one-half (1½ cups) of the cottage cheese mix as evenly as possible over the top of the other ingredients.
- Put another layer of 5 lasagna noodles on top of this. Sprinkle pepper over the noodles.
Recipe continues after photos
8. Repeat with another layering: one-third of mushroom soup mix, one-third of mozzarella, one-third of Parmesan, remaining one-half of the broccoli,
and one-half of cottage cheese or ricotta.
9. Top with last 5 lasagna noodles, sprinkled with pepper and followed by the
rest of the mushroom soup mix, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
NOTE: If the lasagna fills the pan all the way to the top, you may find it
less messy to wait to put the final layer of mozzarella and Parmesan
cheeses on until the lasagna has cooked (see step 13).
10. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Place the pan on a cookie sheet (to catch
any dripping overflow) and place it in the pre-heated oven. Set a timer and
cook for about 65-70 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, prepare and wash the salad greens and leave to drain while
the lasagna is cooking.
12. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and check for
doneness by piercing the lasagna with a knife. When it goes all the way
through without resistance, it is done. If it is not done, then return it to the
oven and set the timer for additional 15 minute increments until it is done.
13. When the lasagna is done, increase the oven temperature to 400ºF. If you
have not already done so, add the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan
cheese at this time, and return the pan to the oven, uncovered. Cook an
additional 10 -15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and somewhat
browned.
14. Make the garlic bread, if desired.
15. When the timer goes off again, remove the lasagna pan from the oven
and let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
16. Serve with fresh or garlic bread, if desired, and a tossed salad.
and one-half of cottage cheese or ricotta.
9. Top with last 5 lasagna noodles, sprinkled with pepper and followed by the
rest of the mushroom soup mix, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
NOTE: If the lasagna fills the pan all the way to the top, you may find it
less messy to wait to put the final layer of mozzarella and Parmesan
cheeses on until the lasagna has cooked (see step 13).
10. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Place the pan on a cookie sheet (to catch
any dripping overflow) and place it in the pre-heated oven. Set a timer and
cook for about 65-70 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, prepare and wash the salad greens and leave to drain while
the lasagna is cooking.
12. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and check for
doneness by piercing the lasagna with a knife. When it goes all the way
through without resistance, it is done. If it is not done, then return it to the
oven and set the timer for additional 15 minute increments until it is done.
13. When the lasagna is done, increase the oven temperature to 400ºF. If you
have not already done so, add the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan
cheese at this time, and return the pan to the oven, uncovered. Cook an
additional 10 -15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and somewhat
browned.
14. Make the garlic bread, if desired.
15. When the timer goes off again, remove the lasagna pan from the oven
and let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
16. Serve with fresh or garlic bread, if desired, and a tossed salad.
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