Are you tired of the same old healthy lasagne recipe using quark and eggs? Look no further! This family favourite is made with a butterless bechamel sauce and rich beef marinara sauce.
As far as easy healthy lasagna recipes go, this is the only one we like to eat every week because it's close to being as authentic lasagna al forno as you'll ever get. It's cheesy, creamy, gooey, and meaty.
And you wouldn't know that it's an unofficial Slimming World lasagne recipe. That's because it has a secret ingredient...
It uses oat flour for a higher fibre white pasta sauce and zero butter. I use this regularly for my healthy cauliflower cheese recipe and Slimming Fish Pie.
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✔️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
- An easy recipe
- Uses simple ingredients
- Can be adapted for Keto or vegetarian
- Generous individual servings between 4 people
- It's low fat and lower in calories for the whole family
- This healthy lasagna recipe is as close to the traditional version
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Low calorie cooking spray - we always use Fry Light for healthy dinners, or you could use a little bit of olive oil if preferred
Lean ground beef - we use 5% fat beef mince to reduce saturated fat, which can lead to heart disease. Or you could swap for lean ground turkey, or a healthy Italian sausage
Onion - diced, for a warming homemade tomato sauce
Garlic cloves - minced, or replace with garlic powder if more accessible
Carrot - peeled and finely chopped, or replace the meat with extra veggies for an easy vegetable lasagna
Passata - this is crushed tomatoes sieved into a tomato sauce. Or you could use chopped tomatoes
Tomato purée - this is concentrated tomato paste
Balsamic vinegar - or Worcestershire sauce for sweet acidity
Red wine stockpot - this is an easy way to enrich the ragu without the need to reduce the real thing
Lasagna noodles (lasagne sheets) - dried or fresh. No need to boil lasagna noodles as they cook in the oven. Or use heart healthy whole wheat pasta for a good source of fibre, Alternatively,
Herbs and spices - Italian seasoning mix or dried mixed herbs, oregano, salt, and black pepper
Cheese - reduced fat cheese, or a cup of parmesan cheese to split between the white sauce and some for the top
Low Fat Cheese Sauce
- Skimmed milk
- Mustard powder
- Oats (blended in a food processor)
- Salt & pepper
- Bay leaves
- Low fat grated cheese
- Cheese
📋 Instructions
For this easy lasagna recipe, first preheat your oven to 180 c fan or 200c/Gas mark 4/350F.
Heat oil n a large sauce pan.
Then sauté the onions and garlic over medium high heat until softened with plenty of sea salt and pepper.
Then add the lean ground beef and carrots and fry until browned.
Now add the red wine stock pot, passata, tomato puree, herbs and balsamic vinegar.
Simmer for about 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally while you work on the butter-free bechamel sauce.
The sauce should be nice and thick so there's not too much liquid while baking.
Blend your oats in a blender or food processor, then transfer to a microwave safe jug or large bowl.
Add the remaining white sauce ingredients except the cheese and microwave in 1 minute short bursts about 5 times until it's thick and creamy.
Remove the bay leaf and stir in the grated cheese until melted.
*Or heat on very low heat in a pan.
Now layer the baking dish with:
- ⅓ of the beef ragu spread on the bottom of the dish
- Add a layer of regular lasagna noodles on top or whole wheat lasagna noodles if preferred
Note, you may need more or less, or break the edges into curves if making a pan of lasagna.
Now spread ⅓ of the butterless bechamel on top of the last layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles.
Don't worry what it looks like. It will all be hidden shortly.
Repeat with another cup of sauce, followed by the bechamel sauce and ready noodles.
But make sure you leave some white sauce for the next stage.
But make sure the final topping you add is the white sauce.
Then sprinkle over the grated cheese or parmesan.
Now bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until everything is golden and bubbling.
Tip: Don't use a dish that's too big as you'll have fewer lasagne layers. We think at least 3 layers is the best way to go.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Here are a few easy swaps, depending on your dietary needs:
- Lasagne sheets - use layers of noodles or spaghetti squash if more budget friendly. Or swap for zucchini and eggplant slices for a low carb lasagne
- Worcestershire sauce - if you've swapped this for balsamic vinegar, make sure it is Gluten Free along with your chosen pasta and oats
- Beef - make it as a healthy turkey lasagna or chicken sausage lasagna
- Cheese and milk - you can swap for a cottage cheese lasagna or use ricotta cheese
- Oats - some simple swaps can be to use plain flour or corn starch if not eating for weight loss or requiring gluten free. Or xanthan gum for keto
⚖️ Variations
Why not have a go at customizing this into your favorite recipe by having a play with some of these different ingredient ideas?
- Spicy - Add some red pepper flakes or chili powder to the meat sauce to make it spicy
- Deluxe - stir in freshly grated nutmeg into the bechamel. And olives, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon juice to the meat sauce for extra flavour
- Vegetarian - use soy mince for vegetarian lasagna, or red lentils. Then make a skinny spinach lasagna by mixing part-skim ricotta mixture and wilted fresh spinach together. And add chunks of butternut squash!
- Kid friendly - Use a blend of part-skim mozzarella cheese for fun stretchy strands with each bite
- Extra nutrition - Add some chopped bell peppers or zucchini to the meat sauce for extra nutrition and flavour
🔪 Equipment
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- Baking dish - I use around 11x9" (28cm x 22cm)*
- Large saucepan
- Chopping board
- Chopping knife
- Measuring spoons
- Weighing scales
- Measuring jug or microwave-safe large pot
- garlic press
- blender
- Cheese grater
- Wooden spoon
*If you don't have one, why not make a large skillet lasagna or dutch oven for the ultimate one dish meal.
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating this healthy meal freshly baked, but it's also a great recipe for cooking. Let any leftovers cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezing - place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost your frozen lasagna in the fridge if required and microwave until piping hot, or oven while covered with aluminum foil
💡Pro Tips
- Use a mandoline to slice the vegetables thinly and evenly for a more consistent texture
- Let the healthy dinner recipe rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set and the flavors to meld together
- Cover the lasagne with a layer of foil for the first thirty minutes and then remove the foil and bake for a further 10-20 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy and the whole dish is piping hot through
- Add some fresh herbs like basil or oregano to the meat sauce for extra flavour
- For the healthiest lasagna recipe, swap the meat for red lentils which is associated with lowering blood pressure
- Top with some fresh basil or parsley for a pop of colour and flavour
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Salad: Serve with a side salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber for a refreshing contrast to the rich lasagne. We always love some extra veggies.
Potatoes: lasagne is great with a portion of homemade oven chips. Or you could enjoy it with steamed new potatoes in a herby butter
Wine: Pair with a glass of red wine for a cozy, comforting meal.
Crusty bread: Serve with garlic bread or a crusty baguette for a satisfying and filling meal alongside a dip of mixed olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Vegetables: enjoy with fresh garden peas, or a side of roasted vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers for a nutritious and delicious meal
❓ FAQ
Yes, you can thicken this white lasagne sauce in a pan! However, I prefer to use the microwave as it's quicker and as it can easily boil over and spill from a saucepan.
Note, this is also why I use tall jug in the microwave.
You'll be very surprised that there is only a very subtle oatmeal taste. And that it actually lends to a super creamy and cheesy white lasagne sauce.
And it's even better with extra flavours, such as mustard, a bay leaf, cheese and freshly ground salt and pepper. I often use oats to thicken my favourite healthy beef stew recipe and they totally disintegrate in the pot.
Freezing lasagne is a great solution if you want to make ahead before cooking. Simply follow the steps to preparing your healthy beef lasagne ragu and bechamel sauce.
Then leave it to room temperature and layer the lasagne in a freezer safe container or lasagne dish and cover. It should be ok to freeze for upto 3 months. For cooked lasagne, leave to cool and store like above
I've made a couple of slow cooker lasagnes and yes you can. However, if you want to start making the beef ragu in the slow cooker, you're best adding a pinch of sweeter.
I find lasagne in the slow cooker tastes more tart. However, if you cook everything as you would, then you can layer your slow cooker with a lasagne. Please note, you won't get a golden topping, so I would take it to the oven to finish off and not under the grill.
A healthy lasagne Slimming World style with quark lasagne with eggs is a great alternative. But it's not my favourite method as I always find the top of the baked lasagne pasta can curl up and the eggs often curdle.
➕ More Italian Healthy Recipes
Looking for other classic recipes like this healthy homemade lasagna? Why not try these:
🍽️Pairing
Here are a few of our favourite sides that go great with pasta recipes:
📖 Recipe
The Best Easy Healthy Lasagne Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- Frylight
- 500 g beef mince meat 5% fat (extra lean) *Or Quorn for a Veggie Lasagne
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 500 g passata
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 red wine stockpot
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- 9 dried lasagne sheets *Or sliced courgettes or aubergines for a low carb lasagne
- 40 g cheese *to be counted or use as your allowance
- Pinch Sea salt
- Black pepper
Butterless Lasagne White Sauce
- 500 ml milk *to be counted or use as your allowance
- 2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 30 g oats blended *to be counted or use as your allowance
- Dash Sea salt
- Dash Ground black pepper
- 40 g reduced fat cheese grated *to be counted or use as your allowance
- 1 bay leaf
- 40 g low fat cheese grated *to be counted or use as your allowance
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 c fan or 200c/Gas mark 4/350F
- Saute the onion and garlic in Frylight and plenty of sea salt and pepper until softened.
- Add the beef to brown, then add the carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Pop in the red wien stock pot, passata, herbs, puree and balsamic vinegar and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix all the white sauce ingredients together in a tall 1 litre microwavable jug, excluding the cheese and microwave in 1 minute short bursts, stirring in between until thickened.
- Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cheese.
- Now spoon a 3rd of the meat mixture into a lasagne dish approx 28cm x 20cm, then add three sheets of lasagne or more if needed.
- Spread on top ⅓ of the butterless bechamel, then repeat until you finish with the remaining white sauce.
- Top with 40g of grated cheese and bake for 40 minutes or until everything is golden and bubbling before serving.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
Alternative Quicker Quark Cheese Sauce
- 250g quark
- 50ml skimmed milk
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 100g natural yogurt (fat free)
- Pinch of nutmeg
How to Layer Lasagnes Like a Pro
Here's a few of my tips on how to layer a lasagne.- Don't use a dish that's too big as you'll have fewer lasagne layers.
- I prefer to use my 28cm x 22cm Pyrex baking dish which makes a great lasagne dish.
- 3 or more lasagne layers gives a more appealing lasagne.
- For layering lasagne, refer to my picture below:
I spread ⅓ of my beef ragu on the bottom, add 3 lasagne sheets, spread over ⅓ of the butterless bechamel on top and repeat. - The top should be the lasagne's white sauce, then a good sprinkling of grated mature cheddar cheese.
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