There’s something so heart-warming about hot, fresh pasta dishes, am I right? The only problem is that these hearty dishes tend to be high in calories, so if you’re tracking calories and/or macros, you might find yourself in a pickle. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a calorie-dense meal from time to time, if you’re being mindful, a healthy but still tasty option is always welcomed!
That’s exactly the premise behind this healthy skillet lasagna recipe that I’m sharing with you here today. It has all the taste and comfort of lasagna but without the high calories and fat. And better yet – it’s all made in one pan in 30 minutes or less! IDK about you, but preparing regular lasagna is a serious chore, so this simplified version ensures that we can add lasagna to our dinner rotation more frequently.
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3 Reasons Why You’ll Love This Macro-Friendly Skillet Lasagna Recipe
- It has incredible taste: For a lightened-up version of the real thing, you won’t find yourself missing out on anything in the taste department, I promise you that.
- It’s so easy to make: Traditional lasagna is cumbersome and don’t even get me started on the dishes it creates…this version is so simple and easy to make with minimal equipment required.
- It’s family-friendly: I know the frustration that comes with planning and preparing a meal only for one or more family members to declare that they don’t like it. Healthy skillet lasagna gets a thumbs-up from even the picky eaters in my household.
Ingredients
Healthy Skillet Lasagna is pretty straightforward, you’ll recognize a lot of the ingredients on the list as healthier swaps for some of your more traditional lasagna ingredients.
- 1lb Ground turkey – I like to use 93% lean ground turkey to save on fats
- ½ Onion, diced
- 24 oz. Jar pasta sauce – any brand will do, but I really like Rao’s
- 2 Cups low-fat cottage cheese – I really like Good Culture brand
- 2 Cups pasta – this can be lasagna noodles, egg noodles, penne – whatever floats your boat (or you have on hand)!
- ¼ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 15g Minced garlic
- 1 tsp. Olive oil
- 1.5 tbs. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste
How to Make Healthy Skillet Lasagna (Directions)
- Step 1: Heat olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or so to get the oil hot.
- Step 2: Add your onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for around 2-3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add your ground turkey and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes, or until brown.
- Step 4: In a separate pot, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta of choice until al dente, usually about 7-8 minutes. Once cooked, strain the pasta.
- Step 5: Add the seasonings to your meat and mix.
- Step 6: Stir in your pasta sauce and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Step 7: Add your pasta noodles to the meat and sauce mixture.
- Step 8: In a separate bowl, stir together the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese until well blended.Step 9: Add dollops of the cottage cheese mixture to the top of the skillet.
- Step 10: Add a layer of mozzarella cheese to the whole skillet, cover it, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Step 11: Remove the lid, and top with more mozzarella cheese and some red pepper flakes.
- Step 12: Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 360 per serving
- Carbs: 34g
- Fat: 31g
- Protein: 31g
- Fiber: 4g
Good to Know Info About Healthy Skillet Lasagna
Here are a few things that are good to know when making this recipe:
- It pairs well with a side salad, bread, or both, depending on your macro targets.
- You can easily reduce your carb load by either eliminating the pasta or substituting it with a plant-based “pasta” like zucchini noodles or even cauliflower rice! Feel free to get creative with it.
- If you want to up the protein content and make the recipe a bit meatier, double the ground turkey.
- If you don’t like ground turkey, lean ground beef or ground chicken works great, too.
Wrapping Up
Eating healthy does NOT need to be boring. Why eat boring diet foods when you can easily make a couple of simple swaps and enjoy the foods you love while still remaining consistent and adherent to your nutrition plan?
This healthy skillet lasagna is one of my favorite “feel-good” meals that I have made recently and I hope your family enjoys this healthy skillet lasagna recipe as much as mine did.
Healthy Skillet Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Medium Sauce Pan
- 1 Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey
- ½ Onion Diced
- 24 oz Jar Pasta Sauce
- 2 cups Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Good Culture brand
- 2 cups Pasta
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 15 g Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or so to get the oil hot
- Add your onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for around 2-3 minutes
- Add your ground turkey and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes, or until brown
- In a separate pot, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta of choice until al dente, usually about 7-8 minutes. Once cooked, strain the pasta.
- Add the seasonings to your meat and mix
- Stir in your pasta sauce and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-5 minutes
- Add your pasta noodles to the meat and sauce mixture
- In a separate bowl, stir together the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese until well blended
- Add dollops of the cottage cheese mixture to the top of the skillet.
- Add a layer of mozzarella cheese to the whole skillet, cover it, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Remove the lid, and top with more mozzarella cheese and some red pepper flakes.
- Serve and enjoy!
