The MorningStar Farms Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles does the opposite of what the cafeteria workers at my old elementary school did with lasagna. Instead of chopping vegetables, like carrots and celery, into tiny pieces in order to trick us into eating veggies, the MorningStar Farms Lasagna has decent-sized chunks of vegetables dumped right on top. They let me know I’m getting vegetables whether I like it or not.
I’m no longer the chubby fourth grader who avoided vegetables anyway I could. I’m now the chubby college graduate who eats vegetables because my doctor told me to or else I’m going to die. So I don’t mind this veggie lasagna having a heaping pile of vegetables on top, which consists of carrots, onions, red bell peppers, red onions and kale.
The MorningStar Farms Lasagna is one of two products, the other being their Sweet & Sour Chik’n meal, that the company has introduced to dip their toes in the vast pond of microwaveable frozen meals. If you’ve seen how immense the microwaveable frozen meal aisle is, you know their toes will get pulled under and lost somewhere within the Lean Cuisine Sea or Healthy Choice Ocean.
Like a multistoried Banana Republic, this veggie lasagna has something different on each level. The ground floor has a zesty marinara sauce mixed with an Italian sausage-like veggie crumble, the next floor up contains an unnaturally bright white ricotta cheese, the top floor has the previously mentioned vegetables mixed with more marinara sauce and everything is roofed with mozzarella cheese.
I had high expectations for the MorningStar Farms Lasagna because I enjoy many of MorningStar Farms products. But I should’ve had the same expectations anyone should have when meeting someone in person from their local Craigslist — low, ready to dump at a moment’s notice or be prepared to spray with pepper. The noodles were chewier than I would’ve liked, the vegetables added a crunchy texture, and the zesty marinara sauce wasn’t very zesty. Also, the Italian sausage-like veggie crumble wasn’t noticeable in the lasagna. I was hoping for a spicier flavor, but instead got something that wasn’t very Italian, like Jersey Shore’s Snooki and JWoww.
Overall, the MorningStar Farms Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles was disappointing and if I have to recommend a frozen microwaveable lasagna entree that uses fake meat, I’d suggest the Boca Chunky Tomato & Herb Lasagna…if you can find it somewhere in the middle of Banquet Bay or the Gulf of Hungry-Man.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 entree – 270 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 590 milligrams of sodium, 650 milligrams of potassium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, 20 grams of protein, 25% vitamin A, 6% vitamin C, 25% calcium and 20% iron.)
Item: MorningStar Farms Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles
Price: $5.49
Size: 10 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Veggies added crunch. Wide variety of veggies. Better for you than microwaveable lasagna entrees that use real meat. Somewhat filling. High in protein. Boca Chunky Tomato & Herb Lasagna.
Cons: Expensive. Bland. Disappointing. Zesty marinara sauce wasn’t very zesty. Noodles were chewier than I would’ve liked. Sausage style crumble didn’t have flavor. Ricotta cheese was unusually bright white. Jersey Shore.
Hmmm well I will tell you that the veggies are good for you, but this looks like it has the same problem as some of Kashi’s products…. (tastes like Jersey Shore) Thanks for trying this so we don’t have to Marvo!
You’re welcome. And don’t forget to eat your veggies.
Ahhh that sucks because BOCA’s was very yummy!
Microwaved pasta is always kind of hit or miss.
This looks good in the picture. Too bad.
5.49? What a rip.
“Sausage-style crumbles”?? Ehck.
@amanda: Yes, it is. When it goes on sale, I pick up a few…or if I’m feeling evil, buy the store’s entire stock, hang out in the frozen food aisle and then laugh like a mad man whenever someone come looking for one.
@Chuck: My ability to cook pasta is always a miss. Someone needs to have precooked pasta in a bag. Get on that Bertoli!
@Review Spew: I believe it’s probably much cheaper where you live, since I live the middle of the Pacific Ocean and large boats transport stuff here.
@odessa: I do like MorningStar Farms veggie crumble which is supposed to be like ground beef, but I guess it only tastes good because of all the chili powder I use when I make chili with it.
I ate Morningstar stuff….until I discovered their love for GMO soy; Boca too. No thanks! If GMO’s are so good why aren’t there ads on TV for them? So far my favorite meatless meat product has been Fieldroast grain meats.
I’m eating this right now.
I LOVED Boca’s lasagna. And now I can’t find it. So when I saw that Morningstar had one I bought a couple.
Let me first say – that we vegetarians can get many different kinds of cheese or vegetable lasagna. So if we buy a Morningstar version – it’s because we want to enjoy plentiful amounts of sausage crumbles! I think I was able to find two.
This is also very dry.
And I don’t like the chunky veggies.
I like that the noodles are chewy – I hate soggy noodles.
But – no – this is not a winner.
How sad.
Now I just have to decide what to do with the others ones I bought.
Thanks for trying Morningstar – please do go back to the test kitchen and make one more like Boca.
I’m eating this right now. It’s $3.99 at Meijer. It looks like it could be could, but the problem is entirely in the sauce. For a 270 calorie lasagna, this could be decent. The sauce is just bland. I agree that the Boca lasagna is much better.
I’m also eating the new California Turky burger, and it’s pretty damn good.
I’ll try the Sweet n Sour Chik’n tomorrow (my hopes are not high)
i am almost vegetarian and you might want to try michaelangelo’s veggie lasagna. extremely delicious!!!