A light, fresh, summer take on a classic family favorite! This fresh garden tomato lasagna brings the “farm to table” flavor in a hearty meal the whole family will love!
What sets this Fresh Garden Tomato Lasagna apart from traditional lasagna?
Tomatoes! My favorite thing about this lasagna recipe is that it does not involve the use of ANY marinara sauce, whatsoever! It is entirely made with fresh, ripe, juicy tomatoes and basil, promising the true flavor profile lasagna has always intended to deliver!
Not only does this lasagna bring a fresh, vibrant, “farm to table” flavor with a summer spin, it’s a great way to use up all those juicy tomatoes growing right in your own backyard! This fresh garden tomato lasagna is not nearly as heavy as regular lasagna taking it out of the “comfort food” category and into the “Fresh, Real Food” one!
What Type of Tomatoes Should I Use?
The best tomatoes you can use for this recipe are the ones you pluck right from your own garden! My personal favorite home-grown tomatoes to use are of heirloom variety. My favorite are the “Cherokee purple” tomatoes. That being said, any tomato will do – just make sure you like it’s flavor as it will set the palate for the entire dish!
For those of who don’t possess much of a green thumb, late Summer – early Fall is perhaps the best time to prepare this “healthier lasagna”! Take advantage of the tomatoes abundantly in stock and on sale at the market! If there is an “heirloom tomato” variety available, I recommend going with those. Otherwise, any ripe tomatoes will work!
What Ingredients do I Need to Prepare This Light and Fresh Summer Lasagna?
This lasagna recipe is similar to traditional, classic lasagna but with substituted fresh, whole ingredients in place of sauce and seasonings. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this fresh garden tomato lasagna:
- large tomatoes
- fresh basil
- red onion
- ground beef
- ricotta cheese
- mozzarella
- parmesan
- eggs
- lasagna noodles (cooked or no boil)
- flavors (Worcestershire, soy sauce, balsamic glaze, garlic)
Notice how nearly half of these ingredients are common garden/farm goods making it the perfect Farm to Table meal! Our chickens have recently begun producing eggs, so I was eager to incorporate even more “farm fresh” foods into this flavorful dinner!
Storing & Freezing the Fresh Garden Tomato Lasagna
This healthier lasagna recipe would make an ideal meal to freeze for the winter time when fresh foods aren’t as readily available. It also is a great meal to make ahead as you’re preparing for a new baby (Lord knows you’ll need the carbs)! To save this lasagna for later, simply wrap it in saran wrap followed by aluminum foil. Store in the freezer until you’re prepared to eat it – just remove the saran wrap before baking (leave the foil)!
As for baking, you’ll want to bump the temp up to about 400 degrees and bake it for 15 minutes or so longer than you would fresh. That comes out to be about 65-85 minutes. Don’t forget to leave the foil on for the first hour or so – then take it off so that the cheese can get all nice and bubbly!
Looking for More Meals the Family will Love?
Then you’ve come to the right place! This is why I share my recipes – to take some of the work off your busy week by helping you meal plan for the special people at your table! Here are a few recipes in regular rotation at our house right now:
- Easy Mexican Quesadilla Casserole (basically quesadilla lasagna).
- Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs (so convenient, versatile and simple).
- Italian Sausage Zucchini Boats (the meal that gets my kids excited to eat vegetables)
- Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps (light, healthy, and fun to eat!)
- Spicy Korean Pulled Pork Bowls (the best way to utilize summer bbq pork leftovers)
And that’s just to name a few! Head to my blog menu to see a variety of recipe categories and take a big sigh of relief that your week of meals just got planned for you!
Alright, here’s the recipe yo’ve been waiting for!
Fresh Garden Tomato Lasagna Recipe
Fresh Garden Tomato Lasagna
Equipment
- Standard Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 7-8 large tomatoes (recommended heirloom variety but any will do)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 1/2 c ricotta cheese
- 1 c mozzarella cheese
- 1 c parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c fresh basil
- 1/4 red onion
- 9-12 lasagna noodles (traditional or no boil)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp garlic
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (balsamic vinegar will work)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375. Slice half of your tomatoes into 1/4 – 1/2 inch rounds, chop the other half. Chop your onion and fresh basil as well and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, garlic, basil, 1/2 c parmesan, with a dash of salt and pepper until smooth.
- In a skillet, brown ground beef and drain. Then, add 3-4 chopped tomatoes (roughly 2-3 cups), onion, Worcestershire, balsamic glaze, soy sauce, and a dash of salt/pepper. Simmer on medium/high heat, tossing occasionally, until tomatoes and onions soften and sauce reduces (about 10-12 minutes)
- Oil a casserole dish, then add the following layers: sliced tomatoes, lasagna noodles (prepared by package instructions if necessary), half of ricotta mixture, 1/2 C mozzarella cheese, 1/2 beef mixture.
- Repeat the above layers once more.
- Finish with one more layer of lasagna noodles, then top with your prettiest slices of tomatoes. Finally, sprinkle the entire dish with a large handful of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes (until cheese is bubbly). Top with fresh basil, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
With Love from my family table to yours,
Kelsie
