Turkey Sausage Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce

This lasagna has an interesting twist using a creamy white Béchamel sauce rather than the typical ricotta style lasagna.  Although lasagna requires a few x-tra steps and ingredients to prepare, it is a wonderful make ahead dish that can be portioned and packaged into serving sizes and can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

If you are in a hurry you can prepare this recipe omitting 1/2 the ingredients by preparing without the red wine, use only 1 type of cheese, use 1 type of sausage, omit garlic, onions and season with salt and pepper rather than the spices listed and use a jar of alfredo sauce rather than the béchamel and it will still be tasty.

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Serves 8

Preheat oven to 350

Bake time 35 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 pkg.     bake style lasagna noodles

2 tbsp.       olive oil

1 pkg.        hot turkey sausage links (4-5 sausages)

1 pkg.        sweet turkey sausage links (4 – 5 sausages)

2  28 oz.    cans of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup      red wine (cabernet sauvignon)

3 cloves     garlic, minced

1/3              red onion, diced

1/4 tsp       cayenne pepper

1 tsp           dried oregano

1 tsp           dried basil

1 1/4           cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup      shredded parmesan

2                 green onions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce

3 cups        warm  milk

1/3 cup      flour

6 tbsp.       butter

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated

1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

pepper to taste

Directions

Lasagna

1. In a medium saute pan heat oil and add onions, saute for 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add garlic to the saute pan, stir for 1 minute.
3. Add crumbled raw sausage to the saute pan and brown over medium heat.
4. Add tomato sauce, spices, wine and salt and pepper.  Simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Layer a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish starting with 1/4 cup of meat sauce on the bottom, a layer of dried lasagna                       noodles, a layer of meat sauce, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, a layer of shredded mozzarella, a layer of béchamel sauce.
6. Repeat step #5 for the second layer.
7. Top with chopped green onions.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes.

Béchamel Sauce

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan melt butter over heat.
2. Add flour and stir or whisk until the mixture combines together well forming a roux.
3. Warm the milk and add the milk and parmesan to the roux.  Whisk the mixture until the sauce thickens.
4. Add nutmeg and pepper, stir to combine.

 

Note:  You can package the casserole into serving portion sizes using ziptop freezer bags once the casserole comes out of the convection oven and cools to room temperature.  Label the ziptop bags with the date prepared and the name of the recipe. Burp the air from the bags and store flat in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Alternate:  You can cook this recipe in an Instant Pot using a pot in pot method.  A 6 quart Instant Pot will accommodate a 6″ square by 3″ high pyrex dish.  The recipe quantity for this dish would be using 1/4 of the ingredients above.  Follow the same directions for preparing the casserole then place 1 1/2 – 2 cups of water in the Instant Pot stainless in Instant Pot steel bowl, place the Instant Pot rack in place. Place the casserole in the Instant Pot and cover with foil.

Close the Instant Pot and turn the steam vent off.  Turn the Instant Pot to manual high pressure and set the time with the +/- buttons to 7 minutes.  Let the pot depressurize naturally rather than the quick release method.

 

 

 

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