30-Minute Single Serving Lasagna using Wonton Wrappers

[nybirder]

I used this recipe as a guide in making a lasagna for myself with my own choice of ingredients. You do not need to precook wonton wrappers—they are thin and will easily cook in the sauce when baking. If you would like to make 2 servings at once, either use two small casseroles or use an 8"x4" loaf pan. The noodles fit in that size pan nicely with room for expansion.

Wonton wrappers are made with the same ingredients as pasta but no egg. This recipe uses wonton wrappers which are about 3 1/2” square and come in packages containing from 24 to 60 wrappers. They can be found in the refrigerated section of you market. In mine, they are often near the vegetables. Choose a small casserole or dish—it doesn’t have to be square as long as the noodles mostly fit in it without too much extra room. They will expand a little when baking. You can get a pack which may run from 24 or so up to 60--freeze the ones you don't use. One advantage of using wonton wrappers for lasagna is that they are thin and lower in carbs for people who need to watch what they eat for health reasons. There are only 23 carbs in a serving made with this recipe which is very good for a pasta dinner.

Egg roll wrappers are not the same—they are much larger and a little thicker. I have seen recipes using them like you would for fresh lasagna noodles but haven’t tried them.

30-Minute Single Serving Lasagna a la Susanna with Wonton Wrappers
Source: www.facebook.com/susanna.lo

Servings: 1

4 wonton wrappers (Chinese)
3 oz ground beef, 95% lean meat
4 oz tomato sauce
1 oz garlic (chopped)
2 oz onion (chopped)
3 oz ricotta cheese ( or cottage cheese )
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 basil leaves (optional fresh )
1 oz olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp nutmeg (or cinnamon )

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the olive oil to a hot frying pan.
Toss in the chopped onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and the ground beef, and stir for 3 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, and season with the salt and pepper, then cook for 3 more minutes.

Mix the nutmeg or cinnamon into the ricotta or cottage cheese (this adds an unexpected splash of sweetness).

Take a pan and start layering your lasagna in this order:
Piece wonton wrapper on the bottom
A layer of the ricotta or cottage cheese
A layer of shredded mozzarella cheese
A layer of the ground beef and tomato sauce
Then repeat the whole process two more times, topping the final layer with a wonton wrapper.
Any remaining mozzarella cheese is sprinkled on top.

Then pop it in the oven for 15 minutes and it is done.

[luvmyb_b]

Sounds yummy, Birdy! I'll have to give this some thought. I cook for 2 so the loaf pan option would be good for me. Additionally, we are having to count carbs for DH now so this would definitely be a better option for him. Thanks for sharing!

[nybirder]

Check the other two recipes on Cooks Crock. They have the nutrition amounts on them and make more servings than this one.

Birdy

[almonds]

Really like that the recipe results in lower carbs, something we always try to watch for here. if splurging, we'll go all the way but for an every day meal this sounds the way to go. Besides, I actually like the cheese and sauce part the best.

[grandmazn8]

Birdy, I did the other small serving lasagna, but I made 2. One I cut up into at least 4 servings and put them in the freezer for lunches. Because I had a dental appointment today, I didn't bring the one I took out of the freezer last night for my lunch, so will be eating that tonight. I had a big helping of the other one Thursday night and Friday night DGS and I both had some. He liked it as well. I will be doing that again. The only no boil noodles they had were the generic ones, and I think my loaf pans must be narrower because I had to use 2 for each layer, and break the ends off, and then they overlapped in the middle. But after baking you couldn't tell. I have another loaf pan that is wider, so 2 may lay side by side on that one.

I didn't put the sugar or cinnamon in mine. I don't think I would like it that way.

[nybirder]

I'm so glad you like the recipe. I also took the one from the back of the Barilla box for a 9x13 pan and cut it down to 1/4 for a loaf pan. That turns out well, too. It's a little less saucy than this one because they add a 4th layer of noodle but with the same amount of filling pretty much. I don't think I would try that with another brand, though. I also have a scratch recipe from America's Test Kitchens in their Cooking for Two book that also makes a loaf-pan. Nice size for one or two people.

If you ever get a chance to try the Barilla no-boil, they are so nice and thin. They remind me of the homemade noodles that my Italian friend's grandma's made. As you have already found out, it doesn't matter much if they overlap a tiny bit. Actually, they expand when they get wet and bake.

Since we are in the wonton recipe thread, just a comment that the wontons also expand a little as they cook. So it isn't necessary to get a really snug fit in your casserole.

Birdy

[almonds]

I've never used the no-boil noodles, I've always steered clear of them, being afraid they would slurp up a lot of the good sauce when baking in the oven and result in a dry lasagna. Are the instructions different for making the sauce, possibly increase something? Is baking time the same? I'm so old school!

[nybirder]

I can't speak about all no-boil noodles because the only ones I use are Barilla--which are also a favorite of America's Test Kitchens and a lot of other cooks. If you follow the recipe on their box, you'll see the proportion of sauce to noodles and can adapt it to your taste. I think other brands of noodles might be thicker.

I'm going to refer you to my recipe using these noodles since some of this conversation should really be in that thread since it uses the Barilla noodles. I use 14 oz. of sauce for 3 noodles and it is nice and saucy. In fact, you could probably use 4 noodles like the Barilla recipe does.

I have the ATK recipe--I'll post that for reference. That one makes the sauce, too.

Leslie--I'm going to copy your review of the recipe into that post if I can.

Birdy

[cfniervt]

This looks like a good recipe for two people. Dan and I like those kind of meals. I make shepherds pie in two small ramekins and that way there is not a lot of leftovers.
Chris