Food Smoked Mozzarella and Kale Lasagna Made with no-boil noodles, this memorable lasagna hides two secrets in its layers: smoked mozzarella (for autumnal vibes) and lemon zest (for a delicate lift). The dance between the two will haunt you, deliciously. By Laraine Perri Laraine Perri Laraine Perri is a freelance editor and food writer based in New York City. She has developed recipes for Midwest Living, Better Homes and Gardens and other publications. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 2, 2023 Print Share Photo: Brie Goldman Hands On Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Servings: 10 Yield: 12 cups Ingredients ¼ cup olive oil 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons dry white wine 1 28-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes, drained 1 28-ounce can tomato puree 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided ½ teaspoon sugar Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons heavy cream 12 ounces Tuscan kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped 1 large egg 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated (1 cup) 8 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups) 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups) 12 no-boil lasagna noodles Directions For marinara: In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and garlic over medium. Cook garlic gently until fragrant but not colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Add oregano and crushed red pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Add wine; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the sugar and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Stir in cream; cook 2 minutes more. For ricotta filling: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add kale; cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well and spread in a single layer on a large, paper towel-lined baking sheet. Blot with several layers of paper towel to remove excess water. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt and additional black pepper to taste. Stir in ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and kale. In a separate bowl, toss the mozzarellas together to combine. Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 1/4 cup marinara over the bottom of a 3-qt. rectangular baking dish. Arrange three lasagna noodles over marinara, leaving a bit of space between them. Divide one-third of the ricotta filling among noodles, spreading to cover noodles. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarellas evenly over ricotta filling. Top with 1 cup marinara. Repeat layers two more times. For the final layer, add the last three noodles on top; cover completely with the remaining sauce. Brush a large sheet of foil with olive oil. Place foil, oiled-side down, over baking dish and cover tightly. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top. Bake until lasagna is browned and bubbling at edges, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. If you like, sprinkle with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano. Nutrition Facts (per serving): 444 cal, 26 g fat, 102 mg chol, 31 g carbo, 817 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 23 g pro. Print