sweet italian sausage

Our Pesto Lasagna

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This Kale Pesto Lasagna recipe made with our Sweet Italian Sausage is a delicious way to add some healthy greens into your family’s diet. Kale pesto cooks along with noodles, plenty of cheese and garlic for some serious green comfort food!

Sauce Ingredients: 

  • 3 cups of Kale (or spinach)

  • 2 Cups of Basil

  • 1 cup almonds

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus more to garnish)

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

  • 1 teaspoon (each) kosher salt and black pepper (freshly ground)

Lasagna Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of Sweet Italian Sausage
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 non boil- lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese

Instructions: 

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook Sweet Italian Sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered for about an hour.

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 

  4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of pesto and meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices.

  5. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake!

  6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Comments (1)

Anita Stoller on Aug 12, '22

In your Pesto Lasagna recipe, can spinach or another leafy green be substituted for the kale? I’m not a fan of kale, so I was hoping to substitute. If so, how should the cooking instructions or times be adjusted? Thank you!

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