Name: Lasagna With Turkey Slices
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cooked deli-style turkey slices ((Note 1)); 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese ((Note 2)); 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese ((Note 3)); 1 pound lean ground beef ((Note 4)); 15-ounce can tomato sauce; 5-ounce package baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped ((Note 5)); 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 3/4 teaspoon table salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

Summary:

This low carb lasagna uses deli-style turkey slices instead of lasagna noodles, layered with melted mozzarella cheese and a rich meaty sauce with spinach. It's a protein-packed meal that can be easily made ahead of time.

Lasagna With Turkey Slices

5 from 3 votes

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Prep: 15

Cook: 50

Cool: 15

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

▢ 8 ounces cooked deli-style turkey slices (Note 1)
▢ 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (Note 2)
▢ 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 3)

Meat Sauce:

▢ 1 pound lean ground beef (Note 4)
▢ 15-ounce can tomato sauce
▢ 5-ounce package baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped (Note 5)
▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
▢ 3/4 teaspoon table salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare: Preheat oven to 375 F. Set aside 8×8 inch baking dish.
Cook Meat Sauce: Heat wide high-sided nonstick pan over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, crumbling with stiff utensil. Stir in tomato sauce and bring to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes (Note 6) until sauce noticeably thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in oregano, salt, and cayenne until well-mixed. Stir in spinach for a few minutes until wilted. Turn off heat.
Assemble Lasagna: Arrange 1/3 of turkey slices along bottom of baking dish, overlapping each other. Evenly pour about 1/2 of meat sauce over turkey slices. Add about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of meat sauce. Repeat with another sliced turkey layer, meat sauce layer, and cheese layer. Top with remaining turkey slices. Add remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese on top of turkey slices.
Bake Lasagna: Bake uncovered at 375 F until lasagna is golden brown on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes to allow lasagna to set, then cut into four equal portions and serve (Notes 7-8).

NUTRITION

Makes 4 Servings

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 430 (46% from fat)
Total Fat 22g	33%
Saturated Fat 10g	51%
Cholesterol 125mg	42%
Sodium 1360mg	56%
Net Carb 7g
Total Carb 10g	3%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Sugars 4g
Protein 47g

Vitamin A 65% · Vitamin C 14% · Calcium 43% · Iron 28%

PHOTOS

shredded mozzarella cheese in baking dish

slice of keto lasagna served on white plate

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Turkey Slices. Use thin deli-style turkey slices, which is cooked turkey that can be found in the refrigerated lunch meat section of U.S. grocery stores. If you don’t have turkey, substitute with other types of thinly sliced deli meat like chicken, ham, or pastrami. Since meat has no carbs, thinly sliced meat is used in place of lasagna noodles to reduce the glycemic impact of this meal.

(2) Mozzarella Cheese. I use a bag of pre-shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, which means the cheese has been dried out for a longer shelf life and better browning.

(3) Parmesan Cheese. This is finely grated parmesan that has a sandy or almost powdery texture, not shredded, often available in pre-grated bags in the refrigerated section of U.S. grocery stores. This can be substituted with similar cheeses like pecorino romano or asiago.

(4) Ground Beef. Choose lean or extra lean ground beef, ideally 90% to 95% lean. The leaner it is, the less fat rendered during cooking. This helps with liquid control and reduces the oiliness of the resulting dish. If you use meat with less than 90%, you may want to drain off some of the grease after browning in the pan. If you don’t have beef, ground turkey is a good substitute.

(5) Spinach. About 3.5 cups chopped. Use fresh raw spinach, keeping the leaves and discarding long or thick stems.

(6) Simmering Meat Sauce. The meat sauce should be simmered for the full 10 minutes. This produces a nice and thick sauce, since most of the tomato sauce’s liquid content will evaporate, and is key to a flavorful and thick lasagna that holds together well.

(7) Serving. It’s important to let the lasagna set for the full 15 minutes before cutting into it; as the lasagna cools and sets, it will re-absorb some of the liquid in the baking dish. Serve the lasagna with Mini Cheese Balls, Almond Flour Garlic Knots, or Mediterranean Salad.

(8) Make Ahead / Leftovers. If you’re making ahead of time or storing leftovers, cool the baked lasagna then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, cut into individual portions and reheat using the microwave or oven. One good thing about making this ahead of time is that it usually tastes better after it has a chance to sit overnight in the refrigerator. The flavors are more pronounced and the lasagna’s layers are more cohesive. Making this dish ahead of time is my preferred way of preparing it.

(9) Similar Recipes. This recipe is adapted from similar low carb lasagnas like Zucchini Lasagna and Eggplant Lasagna, both of which use similar sauces with tomatoes and ground beef.

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Ruth

I made this for a luncheon at church. I added cottage cheese and baby spinach, hot Italian sausage, ground beef , green & white onion & mushrooms . Many people asked for the recipe. They loved it.

Clare

Hi, I’ve made this before and it tastes great! Just wondering if this recipe is okay to freeze? Could it be re-heated from frozen?

Julia

I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I haven’t personally tried freezing this recipe, but looking at the ingredients, I don’t see why it wouldn’t freeze well. If you give it a try, I would make the meat sauce and assemble the lasagna, then freeze (don’t bake it yet). Make sure it’s wrapped tightly in aluminum foil. When you’re ready to bake it, uncover and bake in a preheated oven until it turns golden brown on top. It might take an extra 10-15 minutes since it’s cooking from frozen. Hope that helps!

Ann Margolis

Julia, I would like to bring this to our annual potluck at work. How can I modify this to cook in a crockpot? Since we don’t have an oven at work?

This is what I suggest: the day before, bake at home in an oven and store covered in the refrigerator. On the day of your potluck, bring your lasagna and crockpot, and use the crockpot to reheat until it’s hot. I think that will give better results than cooking it in a crockpot.

Deborah Johnson

couldn’t you use zuchini slices too instead of the turkey?

Yes, but that would also increase the carb count. For more info on using zucchini, check out this recipe: https://www.savorytooth.com/zucchini-lasagna/

Lasagna With Turkey Slices