Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes (to make sauce and polenta)
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (includes 30 minutes baking time)
For the Sauce:
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 Tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (28 ounce) tomato puree
1/2 cup dry red wine (if using)
For the Lasagna:
7 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups uncooked polenta
1 package (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess moisture
2 cups low fat ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Cook Sausage: In a 5 to 6 quart sauce pan set over medium high heat cook sausage until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks, about 8 minutes.
2. Add Onion & Carrots: Add onion and carrot and stir to combine. Cook until onion begins to soften and turn brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, basil, salt and pepper flakes to pan and stir to combine until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Preheat Oven: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Finish Sauce: Add the tomato puree and wine (if using) to the pan. Stir sauce to combine. Simmer sauce, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and no longer watery, about 20 minutes. While sauce is cooking, make polenta.
5. Make Polenta: In a medium saucepan set over high heat bring chicken broth to a boil. While whisking continuously, slowly add the polenta in a steady stream until combined. Return to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until smooth and creamy when tested, about 20 minutes.
6. Mix Spinach & Ricotta: In a medium bowl combine drained spinach and ricotta cheese and stir together to combine.
7. Assemble Lasagna: In a shallow casserole dish or lasagna pan spread out 1/3 of the sauce. Spoon 1/2 only of the hot polenta in dollops over the sauce, spreading out in an even layer using the back of a spoon or a spatula. Top polenta with 1/2 only of the ricotta/spinach mixture, spreading out in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of the Parmesan. Repeat layering with 1/2 of the remaining sauce, all of the remaining polenta, remaining ricotta/spinach mixture, and remaining mozzarella cheese, ending with the remaining 1/3 portion of sauce and 1/3 portion of Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake & Serve: Bake, uncovered, until hot in center and bubbly around the edges. Let set for 10 minutes before slicing or spooning into serving dishes. Enjoy!
Lasagna Layers:
Bottom: 1/3 of sauce in thin layer
Next: 1/2 of polenta, spread out
Next, 1/2 of ricotta mixture, spread out
Next, 1/2 Mozzarella cheese
Next, 1/3 of Parmesan cheese
Next, 1/2 of sauce spread out
Next, all of remaining polenta spread out
Next, all of remaining ricotta mixture spread out
Next, remaining Mozzarella
Next, 1/2 of remaining Parmesan
Next, remaining sauce
Finally, remaining Parmesan
