Lasagna Noodle Toss
I modified this "Lasagna Helper" recipe from another site. You can tweak it however you like, with different meat, cheese/no cheese, etc. It would also be good with some ricotta folded in at the end.
I modified this "Lasagna Helper" recipe from another site. You can tweak it however you like, with different meat, cheese/no cheese, etc. It would also be good with some ricotta folded in at the end.
- Carbohydrate 8.4385200023467 g
- Cholesterol 75.083760126752 mg
- Fat 12.133166750939 g
- Fiber 1.0574999814922 g
- Protein 24.9761310016723 g
- Saturated Fat 4.99833896916288 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (262g)
- Sodium 301.949491246716 mg
- Sugar 7.3810200208545 g
- Trans Fat 1.53419312670272 g
- Calories 247 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook and stir the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat.
- After meat has cooked for 5 minutes add onion and garlic.
- Cook 5 minutes more until the meat is browned.
- Pour in the broth, bring to a boil.
- Mix in broken lasagna noodles, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the lasagna noodle pieces are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Top with parmesan.
Budget limits often dictate using dried pantry staples rather than fresh alternatives, meaning this skillet meal relies on broken pasta sheets instead of fresh pasta dough. Adjusting quantities upward requires proportional scaling of liquids so the starch absorbs evenly without burning on the pan bottom. Doubling the batch demands a wider twelve-inch skillet to ensure proper evaporation rates during the ten-minute simmer phase. Ground beef or turkey yields varying amounts of rendered fat, so drain excess grease before adding broth to prevent a heavy sauce.
Scaling down portions is straightforward when maintaining the ratio of two cups of beef broth to seven ounces of broken noodles. Single-serving reductions cook faster because liquid volume decreases, requiring careful monitoring after the seven-minute mark to prevent over softening. Smaller pans concentrate heat differently, necessitating medium-low burner settings rather than standard medium heat. Storing leftovers in airtight glass containers preserves quality for up to three days safely.
Preserved ingredients like canned tomato sauce offer consistent moisture levels year-round, whereas fresh summer tomatoes require seed removal and extra simmering time to concentrate flavors properly. Dried garlic and Italian herbs release aromatic oils differently than freshly minced cloves, which burn easily if added too early in the five-minute browning window. Utilizing jarred tomato products ensures predictable acidity without needing additional sugar adjustments. Freshly grated parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cellulose-coated alternatives when applied at the finish.
Controlling moisture is critical when substituting ground turkey for beef because lean poultry lacks comparable fat content. Adding grated onions alongside the garlic provides necessary water content during the initial browning stage. Simmering uncovered allows excess moisture to escape, concentrating the tomato base effectively. Checking pasta tenderness with a sharp paring knife ensures the center retains a slight al dente resistance before serving.
