Hidden Veggie Lasagna Casserole (Kid-Friendly, Gluten Free-Option)
Delicious and comforting lazy lasagna casserole packed with hidden veggies and nutrients! It's a kid-friendly and toddler-friendly recipe that the whole family will love. You can easily make it gluten free, and it's great for freezer meal prep!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: hidden veggie lasagna, hidden veggie recipes, kid friendly lasagna, kid friendly recipe, lasagna casserole
Servings: 8 servings
- 10-12 oz penne pasta or any short pasta - can be gluten free
Cauliflower Ricotta Mixture
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1/3 cup milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1 egg
Meat & Veggie Pasta Sauce
- 4 oz mushrooms
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 25 oz marinara sauce
Cheese Topping
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
Cauliflower Ricotta Mixture
Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and add 1½ cups water. Add cauliflower florets to the basket. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer then cook for 8-10 minutes until fork tender.
Combine steamed cauliflower in a blender with milk and ricotta cheese, and blend until smooth.
Stir in mozzarella, parmesan, and an egg. Set aside.
Meat & Veggie Pasta Sauce
Chop up mushrooms, carrots, and onion finely, or shred them using a food processor.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat.
Add the chopped vegetables, ground beef, salt, and pepper, and cook stirring until the meat is browned - about 4-5 minutes.
Drain the grease, then return to heat. Pour in marinara sauce then stir. Heat until it starts simmering, then turn off heat.
Stir in pasta. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lasagna Casserole
Add half of the pasta sauce mixture to a 9x13 baking dish.
Spoon the cauliflower ricotta mixture on top, using the back of a spoon to spread into an even layer.
Add the rest of the pasta mixture on top.
Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover, and top with mozzarella and parmesan. Bake uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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- If you don't want to use ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken will all work well in this recipe.
- You can use any type of milk you have on hand. I used coconut milk for the cauliflower ricotta mixture.
- Switch out the vegetables with whatever you have on hand to mix in with the ground beef. Bell peppers, spinach, and zucchini are all great choices.
Storage Tips
- Any leftovers of this healthy lasagna casserole will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- You can freeze cooked lasagna for up to 3 months. It's best to cut into portions and wrap into aluminum foil or plastic wrap before freezing.
Serving: 1serving - makes 8 | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1167mg | Potassium: 775mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3363IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 375mg | Iron: 3mg