Smoky Four Cheese Sausage Lasagna Recipes

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the onions, garlic, carrot and celery in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until finely minced but not puréed.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the sausage into small pieces, until slightly browned but not cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the partially cooked sausage to a plate. Set aside.
• Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and add the minced vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
• Add the wine; continue cooking, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine is mostly absorbed by the vegetables, a few minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, transfer the sausage to a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces (big chunks don't work well in lasagna).
• Add the sausage back to the pan and continue simmering, covered, until the sausage is fully cooked and the flavors meld together, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Fish out the bay leaves and discard.
• Combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until evenly combined. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Spread about 1½ cups of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce. Dollop a third of the ricotta filling over the noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, ricotta filling and mozzarella 2 more times. Top with the remaining 3 noodles. Spoon the remaining sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna tightly with the foil, sprayed side down. Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully uncover and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake, uncovered, until the noodles are tender, the sauce is bubbling, and the edges are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 15 minutes before serving.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The lasagna can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing it prior to baking, when you're ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the baking instructions in the recipe. If the lasagna is already cooked, you can either put it in a freezer-safe container that just fits the leftover piece, or you can cut into individual pieces and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.

SMOKED SAUSAGE, PUMPKIN, AND COLLARD GREENS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer noodles to a baking pan. Toss the noodles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion, reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add collard greens and cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until wilted and liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. In another bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, ricotta, eggs, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and 1 cup fontina.
• Coat a 9x13-inch (3-quart) broiler-proof baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 cup of the pumpkin mixture into the dish; spread in an even layer. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over pumpkin mixture, overlapping slightly. Spread 1/2 of the remaining pumpkin mixture over the noodles in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the sausage mixture and another layer of 3 to 4 noodles. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering with noodles, remaining pumpkin mixture, remaining sausage mixture, another layer of noodles, and remaining ricotta mixture.
• Cover lasagna with foil and bake until bubbly around the edges and thoroughly heated in the center, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1 cup fontina on top of the lasagna and broil about 4 inches from heat source until browned, about 4 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

HEARTY SAUSAGE AND CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon. Discard drippings in pan., Add onions to same pan; cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, celery, parsley, bay leaf, brown sugar, oregano, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf., Remove 1 cup sauce from pan. Stir cooked sausage into remaining sauce. Spread reserved sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of each of the following: sausage mixture, ricotta, mozzarella and provolone. Repeat layers (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE LASAGNA FOR FOUR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard casings from sausage if necessary; crumble sausage into medium nonstick skillet. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until sausage is done. Stir in pasta sauce; cook and stir 3 min. Remove skillet from heat.
• Mix egg, ricotta, Parmesan and seasonings until blended.
• Spread 1/2 of the pasta sauce mixture onto bottom of 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Place 2 noodles in prepared dish, cutting into smaller pieces as necessary to fit; cover with ricotta mixture. Top with layers of remaining noodles and pasta sauce mixture; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover.
• Bake 25 min. or until heated through, removing foil after 20 min.

SAUSAGE, CHEESE AND BASIL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)
• Filling:
• Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.
• Assembly:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.
• Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE LASAGNA ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook noodles according to package directions. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce., In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, parsley, rosemary, lemon juice, thyme, lemon zest, pepper and salt. Drain noodles. Spread 2 tablespoons cheese mixture on each noodle; carefully roll up., Spread 2/3 cup meat sauce into each of two greased 11x7-in. baking dishes. Place roll-ups seam side down over sauce. Top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses., Cover and bake until bubbly, 45-50 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover and bake until bubbly, 50-60 minutes.

SMOKED CHEESE AND SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage; sauté until browned, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add prosciutto; stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and next 4 ingredients. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, basil, and sausage mixture. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• For lasagna:
• Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Stir ricotta and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella in bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.
• Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles atop sauce. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture thinly over noodles. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce 2 more times. Cover with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

FOUR-CHEESE SAUSAGE RIGATONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook rigatoni according to package directions. Drain; transfer to a bowl., In same stockpot, cook and crumble sausage with red pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add cream; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until sauce thickens slightly, 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, goat cheese, egg and seasonings., Stir rigatoni into meat sauce. Spread 3 cups into each of two greased 11x7-in. baking dishes. Top each with half of cheese mixture, then half of remaining pasta mixture., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheeses are melted, about 5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with basil. Freeze option: Prepare casseroles without mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; freeze cheeses separately in resealable plastic freezer bags. Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casseroles as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°. If desired, sprinkle with basil.