Cabbage Lasagna

Cabbage lasagna is a tasty and lighter variant of traditional lasagna. Here is an Italian version of this recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 medium cabbage
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 500 g of tomato puree
• 300 g of ground meat (beef or pork, depending on preference)
• 250 g of mozzarella
• 100 g of grated Parmesan
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• Béchamel (optional)
• Egg lasagna sheets (if you prefer not to use cabbage as “pasta”)

Preparation

1. Clean the cabbage by removing the toughest outer leaves and any damaged ones. Blanch the whole leaves in salted water for about 2-3 minutes, then drain them and dry them with a clean cloth.
2. In a pan, sauté the garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden brown, then remove it. Add the ground meat and sauté it until it’s well cooked.
3. Add the tomato puree to the meat, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, then let it cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
4. In an oiled baking dish, start with a layer of cabbage leaves, followed by some of the meat and tomato sauce, add layers of sliced mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. Continue layering the ingredients, finishing with a final layer of cabbage and a good dusting of Parmesan.
6. If you are using the béchamel, you can add it in layers alternating with the meat sauce.
7. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let it gratinate for another 10 minutes or until the surface is golden brown to your liking.

Serve hot, perhaps with a glass of full-bodied red wine.

Did You Know?

Cabbage, with its sweet flavor and tender texture once cooked, is very well suited as an alternative to the classic pasta sheets in lasagna, especially for those who are looking for a lighter option or for those following a gluten-free diet.