

So real, you won’t miss the old, starchy noodles.

Step back, Jack! Lasagna is noodly again. With the advent of pre-cooking cauliflower dough into sheets of noodles, this easy addition to your casserole will make life so much more decadent than you’d ever imagined.

Cauliflower Lasagna

2 cups (about 10 ounces) cooked cauliflower, grated, riced or shredded

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (16 ounces) + 2 cups

2 eggs

*1 cup ricotta cheese (15 ounces)

2 cups tomato sauce or alfredo (about 18 ounces)

Toppings (optional)

Shows approx. size of noodle dough in relation to casserole dish.

Fancy!

To make the noodles:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray 2 rectangular cookie sheets with non-stick spray.

Mix prepared, riced cauliflower with 4 cups of the mozzarella and the eggs in a bowl. Spread on cookie sheets in thin layers by plopping the dough about and then carefully pressing together (or apart). Keep fingers working until the dough forms a large rectangle roughly the size of the cookie sheet. Repeat with other sheet, pressing out until the dough is distributed. If it turns out you don’t have as much dough, press a longer, more narrow rectangle, roughly the length of the pan and half of the width, to keep noodle length uniform.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes, or until top is golden and edges are lightly browned.

Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully run a metal spatula around the edges of the noodles to loosen and cool for 15-20 minutes.

Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut noodles lengthwise in fairly even strips about 2” wide. With a spatula, you will be able to lift and loosen noodles from the pan and handle them in your hands as you would regular lasagna noodles.

Noodle beauty

To arrange:

Spray the inside of a casserole pan (9X13) with non-stick spray.

1. Layer the bottom with ¼ cup sauce. Add 2 Tbsp water. Distribute gently with a spoon. Do not add toppings yet.

2. Layer with 1/2 of the noodles. Press down very gently with fingers after distributing evenly.

3. Layer with 1/2 of the ricotta by dotting it on in small piles and then spreading slightly with:

4. Add 1/2 of the remaining sauce. With a spoon, spread and slightly mix the two layers (ricotta and sauce) for better coverage.

5. Add half of the toppings you’ve prepared. (If there are none, proceed to the next step.)

6.Layer with ½ of the mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup).

7. Add the rest of the noodles to cover another layer and spread and press down gently. (I use my hands)

8. Add the rest of the sauce.

9. Add the rest of the toppings. (If there are none, proceed to the next step)

10. Add the rest of the ricotta and spread with a spoon with the red sauce.

11. Add the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

Ready to bake like a sunbather in July.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is golden/brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen and reheated.

If you have leftover noodles and don’t want to form a third layer of lasagna, you can use noodles for roll-ups, make another smaller lasagna, or let noodles dry until crisp and make nacho chips from them.

*If you have no ricotta, substitute ½ cup cottage cheese (4 ounces), mixed with 2 tsp parsley and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (2 ounces).

Serves 12-16.

Picture: Toppings can be easy, colorful and fun.

Nutritional Information for the base lasagna (toppings will change numbers):

With ricotta: Nutritional information for 1/12 of recipe: Calories: 223, Net Carbohydrates: 6, (Total Carbohydrates: 7, Fiber: 1g), Protein: 20 g, Fat: 13 g



Nutritional Information for 1/16 of recipe with ricotta: Calories: 171, Net Carbohydrates: 4.5, (Total Carbohydrates: 5.5, Fiber: 1g), Protein: 15 g, Fat: 12g

Nutritional information for 1/12 of recipe with cottage cheese/parmesan blend: Calories: 223, Net Carbohydrates: 6, (Total Carbohydrates: 7, Fiber: 1g), Protein: 20 g, Fat: 13 g

Nutritional Information for 1/16 of recipe with cottage cheese/parmesan blend: Calories: 171, Net Carbohydrates: 5.5, (Total Carbohydrates: 4.5, Fiber: 1g), Protein: 15 g, Fat: 12g

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