The Best Meat Lasagna – Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free

The Best Meat Lasagna - Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free
Author: Heather Christo
Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  60 mins
Total time:  1 hour 20 mins
Serves: 12

Related: 11 Dessert Lasagnas You Need in Your Life

Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
2 cups finely chopped/minced onion
1½ cups finely chopped/minced celery
1½ cups finely chopped/minced carrots
3 cloves finely minced garlic
2 bay leaves
10 ounces hot Italian sausage (out of the casing)
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces tomato paste
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup loosely packed basil, chopped
For the Spinach Ricotta:
10 ounces thawed spinach, dry
1 pound almond ricotta (I use kite hill brand)
¼ cup aquafaba (canned garbanzo bean liquid)
kosher salt
For the Basic Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
kosher salt
2 10-ounce boxes of gluten free lasagna noodles (I usually have a few noodles left over).
Instructions
Preheat the oven degree to 400 degrees.
For the Meat Sauce:
In a large heavy pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots and celery and the bay leaves and let cook for 5-7 minutes until softened.
Add the sausage and the ground beef and break up as you cook through another 5-7 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and the large can of crushed tomatoes, then add the dried oregano and the fresh basil and stir in. Put a lid on the sauce and turn the heat to low.
For the Ricotta:
Take the 10 ounces of thawed frozen chopped spinach and squeeze out any moisture. I like to use paper towels to do that to get it really dry. Add to a bowl with the almond ricotta and the garbanzo bean canned liquid and mix well. Season to taste with kosher salt. Set aside.
For the Basic Tomato Sauce:
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil and the garlic and onion. Saute for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes and then add to the jar of a blender. Puree on high until smooth and add back to the sauce pan.
For the Noodles:
Boil in salted water until al dente and then rinse well with cold water.
To Assemble:
You take a 9x13 dish and first layer the basic tomato sauce and a layer of noodles on top.
Then a thick layer of meat sauce and another layer of noodles.
Next comes the ricotta and more noodles on top.
One more thick layer of meat sauce and more noodles.
Top those with basic tomato sauce. You will have some extra sauce- reserve it to for after the lasagna is baked.
Bake at 400 with foil on top for 30 minutes, top with the hot extra tomato sauce, slice and serve.

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