Deconstructed Lasagna with Low Carb Pasta

On a busy weeknight, this recipe can come in handy!  Don’t spend time laboring over your family’s lasagna…it’s time to deconstruct!  Super easy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious.  Making it all in one pot is a timesaver and leftovers are “gold” the next day!

Let’s start with the noodles.  You can use regular lasagna noodles and break them apart, but we prefer our little pasta ruffles, or what the Italians call “Mafaldine“. We actually have three totally different options to try here.  Any of these mini lasagna ruffles would work and be delish.

Spinach Basil Garlic Pasta Ruffles is our more traditional bronze cut pasta option. If you are wanting higher protein, try our Protein Pasta. This time we decided to use our Low Cal Pasta, which is our low carb, lower calorie pasta.  Can’t we then eat twice as much?  Believe me, you are going to want too!:)

Instead of having to carefully layer each lasagna ingredient, which we all know takes time we don’t have, this Deconstructed Lasagna is a one pot wonder.  You don’t have to be careful!  It just works and there are so many variations you can introduce.

Deconstructed Lasagna Variations?

• Use all lean beef, or all sausage instead of a combo. Try ground turkey for a lower fat option.
• Skip the meat and sauté a combo of diced bell peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant, or carrots instead (about 4-5 cups total)
• Substitute red wine for the beef broth.
• For some zippiness, add fire roasted tomatoes, red pepper flakes or diced jalapenos.
• Instead of fresh basil, add marjoram, Italian seasoning, and/or oregano to sauce.
• Substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta cheese.
• Use individual small skillets and add the cheese after you’ve filled the skillet with the pasta mixture. Then put in the oven!

Can this be gluten free?

• Of course, just use a gluten free pasta of your choice!

What about a plant based vegan Deconstructed Lasagna?

• Use any of the meat substitutes or make it with all veggies
• Substitute almond ricotta for the cheese (Kite Hill is a great brand), and also add approximately 2 T. nutritional yeast for additional flavor.
• Or substitute tofu smashed and seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper.

The fun part of this Deconstructed Lasagna is tucking and hiding the ricotta and mozzarella all over the skillet.  Leave a few pieces on top as it looks so pretty and appetizing.

If you want to make this ahead, you can put the skillet in the fridge after the cheese is placed, and the skillet has cooled. When you are ready to reheat, place skillet, covered with foil, in a 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Take off foil with 10 minutes left to melt and brown the cheese a bit!

If you like these types of recipes, you might want to try:

Our Pretty Zucchini Lasagna which is veggie, healthy, and so pretty!

Tailgate Timballo is a dome masterpiece and really fun to make!   Kids love it!

And for a lightened up casserole, Cheesy Beef & Noodle is a crowd pleaser!

And for more happenings with Pastabilities, follow us on Instagram @worldofpastabilities, or Facebook @pastashoppeusa!  And remember, The World is Full of Pastabilities®!

Deconstructed Lasagna with Low Carb Pasta

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A one pot delicious dinner with melty cheese, and all kinds of flavors! Super easy!

• Author: Carey | World of Pastabilities
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 50
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 boxes (16 ounces) of Low Cal Pasta (or substitute any short pasta shape)

1 T. olive oil

½ lb. hot sausage

½ lb. lean ground beef

½ medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 cup beef broth

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 t. kosher salt

½ t. black pepper

1 T. sugar

10 fresh basil leaves, torn

½ cup whole milk ricotta

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into bite size pieces, or small mozzarella balls

Parmesan cheese, grated

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Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water and toss with 1 T. olive oil. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Add sausage and beef to skillet over medium high heat, break apart and crumble with a wooden spoon. When about halfway browned, add onion, garlic, and carrot, and continue to cook until veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes and sugar and stir until combined.  Add fresh basil.  Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add pasta ruffles and gently combine.  Using a spoon, tuck dollops of ricotta into the pasta mixture all around the skillet, some hidden underneath the pasta layers.  Do the same with the fresh mozzarella.

Put the skillet in the oven, uncovered, and cook until the cheese has melted, approximately 5-7 minutes.

Serve immediately and top with fresh Parmesan and more fresh basil.  Enjoy!  (I like to serve in individual bowls or skillets!)

 

Notes

If you want to make this ahead, you can put the skillet in the fridge after the cheese is placed, and the skillet has cooled. When you are ready to reheat, place skillet, covered with foil, in a 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Take off foil with 10 minutes left to melt and brown the cheese a bit!