Hi everyone. Here is out Gluten-Free lasagna recipe, previously seen on our Facebook page. We hope you will give this recipe a try and even make it your own with adjustments. As always you can find our list of product brands used in this recipe listed at the bottom of the page, along with helpful tips and other information. We’d love to hear from you and see any photos you may wish to share. You can always message us on Facebook or email us directly at ezglutentestkitchen@elisa-tek.com. We are always happy to answer any questions, take suggestions, help resolve any issues.
Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef
1lb Italian sausage
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 bulb garlic
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
32 ounces ricotta cheese
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
1 bay leaf
About 9 sheets of dry lasagna noodles
Directions:
We will start by roasting the garlic. We do this by preheating our oven to 400 °F.
Remove the papery layer around your garlic bulbs but keep your bulbs intact.
Slice about ½ inch off the top of the garlic.
Next, place the garlic cut side up on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Fold the foil over the garlic and seal the edges tightly to create a packet.
Place these on a baking sheet and for 45 minutes to one hour. When done remove packets from the oven and allow them to cool until you can handle them.
You will be adding the cooled garlic to your sauce later. This will add a wonderful flavor and depth to your sauce.
When you have finished roasting the garlic you can lower the oven temperature to 375 °F for baking the lasagna.
The cheese mixture
In a mixing bowl, preferably one with a lid, combine your ricotta cheese, one egg, and the grated parmesan cheese. Mix well and place in your fridge while you prepare the rest of the dish.
For the sauce
In a large pot over medium heat add two tablespoon olive oil then your meat mixture and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add your diced onion and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is browned and the vegetables are soft. Drain any excess grease.
Now add your crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, one bay leaf, one teaspoon sugar, and your roasted garlic. Stir well to combine and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about twenty to thirty minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent any burning.
Give it a taste as it cooks to check your seasoning. You may wish to add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings. Adjust to your liking.
Be sure to remove the bay leaf when you are ready to start the layering process as this is a choking hazard.
The sauce should reduce and thicken somewhat. If you find it is too watery you can continue to reduce it or use arrow root powder or another gluten free thickening agent.
While the sauce is cooking you can prepare the noodles.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a dash of salt if desired. Add your noodles and cook according to package directions, or to your likeness. When these are done set them aside.
Now we are ready to assemble the lasagna.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish ladle a cup of sauce in and spread it over the bottom. Arrange one layer of noodles lengthwise, the edges may overlap and that is okay.
Add another ladle of sauce over the noodles.
Now add dollops of your cheese mixture over the noodles. It doesn’t have to be spread out; it will spread a bit on its own as it bakes.
Repeat this until you have used up all your noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce.
Top it off with your grated mozzarella cheese.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil, slightly tented so it doesn’t touch the sauce or noodles. Bake at 375 °F for thirty to forty-five minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. You can uncover it in the last ten minutes of baking if you prefer a more golden and crunchier top.
We recommend allowing it to rest for about fifteen minutes before serving.
This should remain good for about five days in your fridge if kept tightly sealed. You can freeze uncooked or cooked, for up to three months. Just be sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil so it doesn’t get freezer burnt.
For our vegan and dairy free fans:
You can substitute vegan plant-based meat and cheeses. You can omit the egg entirely or use a replacement of your choice.
Notes:
We made our own sauce, but you are of course welcome to use your preferred sauce be it store bought or homemade.
You can omit the sugar if you prefer.
We suggested light seasoning in the recipe, you should adjust the seasoning level to meet your own taste.
We used a bay leaf, please be sure to remove this before you start the layering process. It is easy to choke on a bay leaf.
Since this is a tomato-based sauce, which tends to be acidic, it is best to use a sweet or yellow onion to add natural sweetness and balance.
We used yellow and orange bell peppers but you’re welcome to use whatever color(s) you prefer.
We grated our own parmesan cheese, but you are welcome to use pre-grated if you prefer.
If you have parmesan with a rind, add the rind to the sauce while it’s cooking to give extra flavor to it!
We used an egg in our cheese mixture, but you can omit it if you prefer.
Adjust the amounts of cheese to your own liking. We didn’t use mozzarella between layers but you’re welcome to do so.
You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken and sausage or vegan plant-based meat if you prefer.
You can use vegan cheese substitute if you prefer.
Generally Italian sausage is gluten-free. If you are unsure, you can check with your brand or store about ingredients. If you’re buying freshly made, the store should be able to tell you without issue.
We used dried herbs in this recipe, but you can use fresh. If you are using fresh herbs you will need to use more of them to achieve the same flavor. The general rule is three tablespoons fresh to one tablespoon dried.
We are using the following brands in this recipe:
Tuscanini tomato paste
Cento San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
Le Veneziane GF lasagna sheets
Penzeys Italian Spice Blend