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Overhead shot of hidden veggie lasagna in a baking dish fresh out of the oven
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5 from 3 votes

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
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: hidden veggie lasagna, hidden veggie recipes, kid friendly lasagna, kid friendly recipe, lasagna casserole
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

  • Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions and set aside.

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.

Video

Notes

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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.

Nutrition

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