Greek Lasagna with Lamb, Fennel and Chard (Gluten-Free)

This Greek Lasagna recipe is sponsored by Prego Farmers’ Market. All opinions are my own (duh). Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site (and my global casserole cravings) possible!

I did a lot of special things on my trip to Greece two summers ago. I frolicked on the pebbly beaches of Hydra, ate my weight in crisp lemon-scented potatoes, and stalked wealthy shipping magnets from their yachts to see where they were going for dinner. What I did not do was eat Greek Lasagna.

This isn’t just thanks to my on-going gluten-free buzzkill. At the time, I didn’t even know what I was missing.

Before I left for my trip, my food fantasies were almost completely dedicated to seafood and spuds, and the dozen glorious condiments I could dip them in. To this end, I successfully emptied my Mediterranean culinary bucket list, via an IV drip that pumped salty taramasalta directly into my veins. But what I hadn’t considered were the casseroles.

Who knew that old Greek housewives had discovered the same homey weeknight fare  as their Midwestern counterparts?  There was, of course, the moussaka and the various rice-stuffed vegetables (yemista). But also this glorious eggplant casserole – a gluten-free riff on eggplant parmesan.

The dish that was most unexpected, though, was pastitsio, which roughly translates as Greek noodle casserole. There are obvious reasons why I didn’t get to taste this delicacy in the flesh. Mainly, the noodles, which can range from tubular baked ziti to strands of egg noodles to the lasagna flats of the Romans a few casserole dishes to the North. But in lieu of a can of creamed soup, pastitsio is also usually made with a cheesy bechamel. (Note for the non-gluten challenged, or the mildly culinary challenged: béchamel is a thick white sauce that contains flour. No bueno.)

A few weeks ago, I got a care package in the mail with several jars of Prego’s new Farmers’ Market sauce line. As a former product developer and general design nerd, I must say that the packaging is gorgeous! And the sauce inside was equally so, made thick and hearty, with just a handful of ingredients that you would find at your local farmer’s market. The marinara tastes just like the version I make at home when I have the time. (As you know, I would never turn my nose up at jarred tomato sauce as a shortcut).

When I began brainstorming what to do with my new found pantry gold, my mind immediately took a detour into Greek casserole land. And thus, this lasagna recipe, which is basically an amalgamation of all the dishes that I wasn’t able to cross off my Mediterranean culinary bucket list, was born.

We’ve got the ground lamb from the moussaka, the noodles from the pastitsio, and the saucy tomato goodness from the imam biyaldi. Even some leafy greens that you might find in spanakopita. But what I’m most proud of is the béchamel hack: Greek yogurt.

Yes, my healthy hedonists. This recipe has no cheese! Just a thick luscious layer of full-fat yogurt slathered over every noodle. I got the idea from my friend Julia, who recommends using crème fraiche for lasagna in her book.

Since all casseroles are meant to be shared, I forced a few slabs of this Greek lasagna on my friend Anna. She couldn’t believe that there wasn’t any mozzarella or ricotta in the mixture, and was equally smitten with the balance funky ground lamb, anisey sautéed fennel, and silky wilted chard – a very balanced meat to veg to carb ratio, if I do say so myself.

If you’re looking for a weeknight casserole recipe that’s gluten-free, as healthy as it is comforting, and would also make any 1950’s Greek housewife drool with envy, this is IT. A good jarred tomato sauce makes the prep even easier, so grab a bottle of Prego’s Farmer’s Market Marinara (or the Roasted Garlic flavor) if you see it at the store.

From one healthy, casserole loving hedonist to another,

Xoxo

Phoebe

Greek Lasagna with Lamb, Fennel and Chard (Gluten-Free)

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground lamb
• Sea salt
• 1 medium fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, thick stems removed and thinly sliced
• 16 ounces marinara sauce
• 9 ounces gluten-free lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions (see note)
• 3/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Brown the lamb over high heat, breaking it into small pieces with your spatula, until nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Season the meat lightly with salt and transfer to a bowl.
• Add the fennel and shallot to the pan, along with a tablespoon of olive oil if it seems dry (the lamb, depending on how lean it is, should leave behind enough fat to grease the pan). Sauté the vegetables over medium-high heat until soft and just beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and season generously with salt. Continue cooking until the greens are very wilted, another 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Arrange your first layer of noodles on top, making sure they overlap slightly. Slather the noodles with 1/4 cup Greek yogurt. Top with half the lamb and chard mixture, followed by 1/2 cup sauce. Repeat the layers.
• Finish the lasagna with a final layer of noodles, Greek yogurt, and marinara sauce, swirling it with your spoon so they mix slightly.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the top of the lasagna is beginning to brown.
• Allow the lasagna to rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into slabs and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g

If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!

This Greek Lasagna recipe is sponsored by Prego Farmers’ Market. All opinions are my own (duh). Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site (and my global casserole cravings) possible!