Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese

For Presidents Day my family went up to Big Birch Lake in Minnesota. We were invited by some really good friends of ours. On the last night my mom made this really yummy Lasagna with a Turkey Sausage Bolognese for the 4 adults and 4 children. Buy the next lunchtime there were no leftovers.


Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed in spice mill or in mortar with pestle
1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups crushed tomatoes with added puree (from two 28-ounce cans)
1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated whole- milk mozzarella cheese (12 ounces)
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
16 6 1/2 x 3 1/4-inch no-boil lasagna noodles

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add sausage and garlic; sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking into pieces, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine; boil 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup basil in medium bowl; stir to blend. Season with pepper. DO AHEAD: Sauce and cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Place noodles in large bowl; cover with hot water. Soak until pliable, separating occasionally, about 30 minutes. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with 4 noodles, arranging crosswise. Drop 1/4 of cheese mixture over by tablespoonfuls; spread out. Top with 1 cup sauce, then 4 noodles and 1/3 of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 cup sauce, 4 noodles, and 1/2 of cheese mixture. Spread any remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake lasagna uncovered until heated through and puffed, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes and serve.Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed in spice mill or in mortar with pestle
1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups crushed tomatoes with added puree (from two 28-ounce cans)
1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated whole- milk mozzarella cheese (12 ounces)
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
16 6 1/2 x 3 1/4-inch no-boil lasagna noodles

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add sausage and garlic; sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking into pieces, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine; boil 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup basil in medium bowl; stir to blend. Season with pepper. DO AHEAD: Sauce and cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Place noodles in large bowl; cover with hot water. Soak until pliable, separating occasionally, about 30 minutes. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with 4 noodles, arranging crosswise. Drop 1/4 of cheese mixture over by tablespoonfuls; spread out. Top with 1 cup sauce, then 4 noodles and 1/3 of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 cup sauce, 4 noodles, and 1/2 of cheese mixture. Spread any remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake lasagna uncovered until heated through and puffed, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes and serve.Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed in spice mill or in mortar with pestle
1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups crushed tomatoes with added puree (from two 28-ounce cans)
1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated whole- milk mozzarella cheese (12 ounces)
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
16 6 1/2 x 3 1/4-inch no-boil lasagna noodles

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add sausage and garlic; sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking into pieces, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine; boil 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup basil in medium bowl; stir to blend. Season with pepper. DO AHEAD: Sauce and cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.

Place noodles in large bowl; cover with hot water. Soak until pliable, separating occasionally, about 30 minutes. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with 4 noodles, arranging crosswise. Drop 1/4 of cheese mixture over by tablespoonfuls; spread out. Top with 1 cup sauce, then 4 noodles and 1/3 of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 cup sauce, 4 noodles, and 1/2 of cheese mixture. Spread any remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake lasagna uncovered until heated through and puffed, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes and serve.