Lightning Lasagna

Name: Lightning Lasagna, Side Salad (if desired)
Ingredients: 4 links vegan Italian sausage (optional, such as Harvest Grains); 1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz, no sugar listed in ingredients); 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional); 1 cup frozen diced bell peppers; 1 cup frozen chopped spinach; 8 oz 100% whole wheat pasta (such as farfalle); 2 cups mozzarella (divided); 1/4 cup parmesan cheese; 8 oz ricotta cheese

February 21, 2016
Heidi Boortz
2 Comments

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Ryan sent me this Lightning Lasagna recipe, and I tried a 90/10 and vegetarian version of it. I was shocked at how fast it went together and how delicious it was! I may or may not have had it for breakfast the next morning.

Lightning Lasagna, Side Salad (if desired)

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Course: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: Casseroles, Comfort Food, Italian, Pasta

Recipe Type: 90/10 Gluten Free, 90/10 Regular, 90/10 Vegetarian, Instant Pot®

Author: Heidi Boortz

Servings : 4

Ingredients

4 links vegan Italian sausage optional, such as Harvest Grains
1 jar spaghetti sauce 24 oz, no sugar listed in ingredients
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper optional
1 cup frozen diced bell peppers
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
8 oz 100% whole wheat pasta such as farfalle
2 cups mozzarella divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese

Instructions

Stovetop

Preheat broiler. Heat sausage, if using, and sauce to boiling in an oven safe large skillet. Add bell pepper, spinach, noodles, and 2 c. water. Bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until noodles are al dente.
Remove from heat. Stir in 1 c. mozzarella and parmesan. Top with dollops of ricotta (as with a cookie dough scoop or two spoons). Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Place under the broiler for 1-2 min or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Instant Pot

Cook sausage, if using, on sauté until browned. Add bell peppers, spinach, noodles, and 1 cup water to the instant pot. Press cancel. Lock lid; set valve to sealing. Program for manual-high and 4 minutes. Either carefully move valve to venting to quick release the pressure or allow for natural pressure release, whichever you prefer.
Preheat broiler. Once the pin drops, open lid. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella and all of the parmesan. Stir well. Transfer to an oven-safe casserole dish. Top with dollops of ricotta (as with a cookie dough scoop or two spoons). Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Notes

We used our All Purpose Pizza and Pasta Sauce for this recipe, but feel free to choose any jarred marinara that has no sugar listed in ingredients.

For gluten free, choose 100% whole grain gluten free pasta (we like brown rice pasta the best).

We served this with a simple side salad but try it with our Caesar Salad too!

You are welcome to substitute regular (not plant based) italian sausage for this if you prefer. Just watch the ingredients because italian sausage tends to have added sugars, dextrose, or maltodextrin, which would make it red tier.