Protein Lasagna

This high-protein lasagna is the kind of comfort food that no one will guess is hitting your macros. It’s layered with a rich, herby bolognese, a creamy high-protein cheese mix, and pasta sheets of your choice (I like spelt or lentil for extra protein). Whether you're feeding a crowd or prepping meals for the week, it’s satisfying, simple, and seriously delicious.

Serve it with: a side of green salad, roasted veg, or just enjoy it as-is. It's filling enough to stand alone.

Ingredients

For the bolognese

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, 1 large carrot, and 2 celery stalks diced or 1 500g (about 1 lb) bag of frozen sofrito mix
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 500g (roughly 1 lb) pack of lean minced or ground chicken, turkey or beef (I used 5% fat chicken mince)
• 1 700g jar passata (or about 24 oz tomato puree)
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• ¼-1 tbsp red chili flakes (optional, to taste)
• 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 15g instant beef bone broth powder or 250ml (1 cup) liquid beef bone broth (cook a bit longer to reduce liquid)

For the cheese mixture

• 525g fat-free cottage cheese (just under 2¼ cups)
• 125g lighter mozzarella ball (roughly 4.5 oz)
• 150g fat-free Greek yogurt (like Fage) (just over ½ cup)
• 60g grated parmesan (about ½ cup)

For the lasagna

• 165g (about 6 oz) no-boil lasagna sheets – regular, spelt or lentil (I used spelt for macros below)
• Dash of nutmeg (optional)
• A 30x20cm glass roasting dish (roughly 12x8 inches)

Instructions

1. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sofrito (or diced onion, carrot, and celery) and sauté until soft.
2. Add minced garlic, stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add ground/minced meat and cook until lightly browned.
4. Pour in the passata, dried herbs, salt, pepper, and bone broth. Simmer for about 20 minutes until it thickens to a rich bolognese consistency.
5. Meanwhile, prep the cheese mix. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and mix with cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan in a bowl. Set aside.
6. Time to layer:
   • Spread a small amount of bolognese in the bottom of your baking dish.
   • Add a layer of lasagna sheets.Top with ⅓ of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese mixture.
   • Repeat until you have 3 layers, finishing with the cheese on top. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg if using.
7. Bake at 180°C fan / 200°C regular / 400°F for 30–35 minutes, then switch to grill/broil for 5 minutes to brown the top.

Nutrition Info (Per Serving)

This recipe makes 6 servings. Per serving:

• Calories: 436 kcal
• Protein: 43g (40%)
• Carbohydrates: 38g (35%)
• Fat: 12g (25%)
  

Make it 40/40/20

To hit a 40% protein / 40% carbs / 20% fat split:

You're there already!

Make it 30/50/20

To hit a 30% protein / 50% carbs / 20% fat split:

Enjoy half a cup of fat free sorbet or a banana for dessert. 

Notes

• This lasagna keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes well.
• Reheats beautifully, I put it in the oven for 20 minutes. You can also warm it in the microwave.
• Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt bring the creamy texture with a protein punch and the parmesan adds a lot of flavour!
• Bone broth adds a bit more protein and a beefy taste if you’re opting to use chicken or turkey mince.

You can make this vegetarian by swapping meat for plant-based mince or lentils — adjust the macros accordingly.