Turkey & Spinach Lasagna | Λαζανια Με Γαλοπουλα & Σπανακι | Chefs At Heart

Who doesn’t like lasagna?

Who doesn’t like lasagna? Probably not many, if none at all. This dish is a yummy, a skinnier and a healthier version of lasagna. Turkey & Spinach Lasagna is a high protein dish with less than 500 calories per serving.

This can be made for lunch or dinner and last for a couple of days and/or part of it can be put into the freezer in order to have a delicious pre-made frozen meal in the next 3 months or so. 

The main players of this version of the recipe are of Mediterranean nature:

• Lasagna, who doesn’t like pasta with a creamy béchamel and the richness of their filling?
• Minced Turkey, which resembles a healthier version of meat.
• Spinach, which is acidic and robust when cooked and rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron and magnesium.
• Halloumi, which is gooey, tangy and creamy.
• Basil Pesto, which is full of aroma and exclusive sophisticated flavour.

Why is this version skinnier and healthier than the traditional version of lasagna?

The traditional version of lasagna uses beef or pork mince meat. This recipe is using turkey mince meat. In general, turkey has less calories and fat than the average minced beef. Surprisingly, the same amount of turkey can have more calories than the skinny version of minced beef i.e. 10% fat and below (used USDA nutritional info as a reference). However, the saturated fat content of turkey is less than the one in beef, if/when the beef has a fat content of more than 5%. Eating too much saturated fat, other than making you fatter, it can increase the LDL (the bad cholesterol) and therefore the risk of strokes and heart disease.

Recipe Insights | In Brief

Recipe Process Overview | In Brief

Recipe Process Overview | In Detail

Turkey & Spinach Lasagna| Turkey & Spinach Pasticcio | Λαζανια Με Γαλοπουλα & Σπανακι | Chefs At Heart

Recipe by chefsatheartCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Mediterranean, Traditional, Fusion

Makes about

1

portion

Prep time

30

minutes

Baking time

45

minutes

Calories

440

kcal

Total Time = Prep + Baking

1

hour 

22

minutes

Turkey & Spinach Lasagna| Turkey & Spinach Pasticcio | Λαζανια Με Γαλοπουλα & Σπανακι | Chefs At Heart

Ingredients

• Step 1: Prepare the filling

• 1 small brown onion or 1/2 a big brown onion diced

• 1 glove of garlic diced

• splash of olive oil i.e. 1 or 2 TBS, used Ladinio Cretan Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Kibsons

• 500 gr minced turkey, used Kibsons

• 5 rolls of frozen spinach or about 50 gr of fresh, used Al Ain Chopped Spinach

• 2 – 3 TBS of basil pesto, used Classic Pesto from Sacla Italia

• a handful of frozen corn

• a handful of pine nuts

• 250 gr single cream, used Alpro single soya cream

• a splash of white wine i.e. 50 ml – 85 ml, used Baron Philippe De Rothchild Sauvignon Blanc

• 1 tsp of cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• fresh coriander, chopped

• some salt, if required

• Step 2: Build the lasagna

• 250 gr of lasagna, used half the box of Barilla Egg Lasagna

• Step 3: Prepare the béchamel and finalise lasagna

• 25 gr butter, used Beurre D’Isigny

• 5 TBS of self rising flour, used Al Baker All Purpose Flour

• 5 cups of milk, used semi skimmed Cows Milk

• 2 eggs, used free range

• Splash of evaporated milk

• 1 tsp of nutmeg

• grated parmesan for the top or 3-4 TBS ground almonds

• breadcrumbs for the top

Directions

• UTENSILS
  – 1 chopping board
  – 1 good kitchen knife
  – 1 medium size casserole
  – 1 wooden spoon
  – 1 baking ceramic tray 32 cm, used Le Creuset Stoneware Rectangular Baking Pan
  – some baking paper
  – 1 grater
  – 1 cup
  – 1 bowl & a fork
• Step 0: Prepare Firstly | 3 – 5 mins
  Gather all the ingredients and the utensils. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
• Step 1: Prepare The Filling | 15 mins
  – Heat a large casserole ( i prefer this to a pan as it’s less splashy), and then add the garlic, onion and a splash of olive oil. Saute them until tender.
  – Then add the minced turkey and saute until cooked ~ 5 mins.
  – Then add the remaining ingredients. Add the cream and wine last.
  – Bring to simmer until thickened ~ 5 mins and then turn off the cooker and set aside.
  
  
• Step 2: Assemble the lasagna | 2 mins
  – Add baking paper in the baking tray – enough to cover all the sides and have some excess – this will help to serve the lasagna when ready and prevent them from sticking on the tray.
  – Lay a layer of lasagna i.e. used about 7 – 8 lasagna for a layer
  – Add half the filling of step 1.
  – Lay another layer of lasagna on top.
  – Add the remaining filling of step 1.
  – Add another layer of lasagna on top.
• Step 3: Prepare the béchamel sauce & finalise lasagna | 15 mins
  – Add the butter in the casserole that you used for the filling and let it melt over a medium heat – has some of the remaining flavours of the filling.
  – Add the flour, then the milk & the nutmeg. Mix the eggs in a separate bowl and then pour them into the mixture while stirring. Continue stirring until the béchamel becomes thicker.
  – Pour the béchamel on the top of the lasagna tray and then add some parmesan along with some breadcrumbs
• Step 4: Bake | 35 – 45 mins
  Place in the middle of the oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes, until golden/ has brown spots on top.
• Step 5: Enjoy! | post cool down
  Remove from the oven and let it cool for minimum 15 mins before serving. Serve with a nice spinach based salad. I encourage you to store half of it i.e. 4 portions in the freezer.

Notes

• Recipe Variations can be seen in different posts
• You don’t have minced turkey? Use minced chicken.
• Would you like to add some smokiness? Use 3-4 layers of smoked turkey ham as well.
• You don’t have cream? Use Greek yogurt instead.
• You don’t have parmesan? use some ground almonds or cashew nuts or pine nuts
• Reduce some calories by removing 1 or some of the ingredients used
• – the pine nuts by -344 calories / -43 per serving if 8 pieces
• – the halloumi by -235 calories / -29 per serving if 8 pieces
• – the basil pesto by – 192 calories / -24 per serving if 8 pieces
• – the milk in the béchamel by -575 calories (substitute with plant milk, water or mix and match!) / -72 per serving if 8 pieces

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Technical Tips

• Not all the lasagna recipes come with a red tomato sauce; they can come with both red or white sauce. In northern Italy, these dishes are called “pasticcio“ and are not always made with lasagna sheets. That is also the case with the Greek version of pasticcio/παστιτιο / μακαρονια του φουρνου.

• Not all the lasagna need precooking. If my filling is juicy, i tend not to precook them at all. If that is not the case, I soak them for a few seconds one by one in some lukewarm water, prior assembling the dish and that is enough to make them more tender.

• Lasagna sheets come in different versions

1. Oven ready
2. Gluten Free
3. Wavy lasagna
4. Wholegrain lasagna
5. With spinach
6. With eggs
7. Fresh

• Some people do tend to believe that making béchamel sauce is tricky/a chore and do use the ready made from a box. Please do try to make your own. The difference in the flavour is significant.
• Other than béchamel being one of the major ingredients of the flavour as well as the creamy texture, its also one of the major ingredients that drive the calories up; its expected as its made with flour, milk and butter. Béchamel contributes to almost 15% of the calories. In my version suggested above the highest driver of the calories, is milk. Therefore, by using an alternative to milk or a combination, can bring some calories down while maintaining the yummy flavour.

Recipe Nutrition Facts | Per Serving