Balsamic /Sausage Lasagna

Balsamic Lasagna 

Baked a delicious lasagna today. Added some balsamic vinegar to the recipe for some zing, and it turned out super tasty and delicious! Here is the recipe:

Balsamic Sausage Lasagna

This recipe serves 6-8.


Ingredients:

Filling:


5 mild Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Italian herbs
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 T fresh parsley or Italian parsley, chopped
1 or 2 zucchini, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 c. cremini or white mushrooms, chopped fine
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper

Cheese mixture:


8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 T fresh parsley or Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Italian herbs
Salt and pepper

For assembly:


1/2 can tomato sauce
1 package no-cook lasagna noodles
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 c. grated mozzarella
1/4 c. grated parmesan
Directions:

Filling:


Cook sausages until light brown. Drain.
Add onion, garlic, Italian herbs, crushed red pepper and parsley and saute until onion turns translucent.
Add zucchini and red peppers, and cook to soften.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.
Add tomato paste, tomato sauce and balsamic. Cook 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced.

Cheese:


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

To assemble:


"Grease" the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan with remaining tomato sauce.
Layer in 1/3 package of noodles to cover bottom of pan.
Add sausage mixture and spread over noodles evenly.
Layer in 1/3 package of noodles to cover sausage mixture.
Add cheese mixture and spread over noodles evenly.
Add 1/2 jar of pasta sauce on cheese and spread evenly.
Top with remaining 1/3 package of lasagna noodles.
Cover noodles with remaining sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.
Lasagna may be covered with foil and refrigerated overnight at this point, or can be baked immediately.
Bake lasagna in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot throughout.
Serve with parmesan cheese and bread.