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Authentic Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna with Tomato Sauce is an Italian classic you don’t want to miss! Made with wholesome ingredients, this is a recipe the whole family will love.
If you prefer meat lasagna, try this recipe, Authentic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce.
More ricotta recipes to try: Italian Frittata Recipe with Peas and Ricotta, Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Capers, and Baked Eggplant with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta.
If you love sweets with ricotta, try these- BEST Authentic Sicilian Cannoli Recipe and Sweet Ricotta Pie!
Other vegetable recipes you will love – Butternut Squash Casserole Recipe!
Simple Ingredients
Only wholesome and fresh ingredients will help to make this recipe for spinach lasagna the absolute BEST!
- Lasagna pasta sheets (no boil or cook), or make your own- Authentic Homemade Pasta Recipe
- Sugo al pomodoro
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Spinach, cooked
- Whole milk ricotta
- Egg
- Ground nutmeg (optional)
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmigiano
- Basil leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
A pan of Homemade Lasagna warms your soul!
How To Make Spinach Lasagna with Ricotta
The process for making lasagna is simple. You can make the filling and sauce ahead of time and assemble them when you are ready to bake!
This dish starts with a spinach and ricotta filling, which is a mixture of cooked chopped spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, a cup grated parmesan cheese, herbs, and spices. Then, a simple tomato sauce. I recommend making your own fresh sauce but you can definitely use store bought if you already have it on hand.
Start layering the lasagna by placing a bit of tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking pan.
Layer the cooked lasagna pasta (see this post if boiling the lasagna noodles) or no-boil pasta noodles (as seen in the photo) on top of the tomato sauce. Either no boil or boil yourself works for this recipe.
Add part of the spinach-ricotta cheese mixture and then more of the tomato sauce.
Repeat the layers until the pan is full, making sure that the red sauce is the top layer. Add more cheese and done! Ready to bake the lasagna until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Once the dish is baked, let it cool a bit, cut into portions, and serve.
At this point, you can cover it with saran wrap and foil and freeze it for a rainy day when you need an oven-ready meal. It is also fabulous to take to a friend or neighbor who needs a meal.
FAQ
Yes, but make sure you squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible so the lasagna doesn’t get watery or runny.
Yes, you can substitute cottage cheese with a 1:1 ratio. Cottage cheese is slightly lighter while using ricotta the lasagna will be thicker and richer.
There are a few reasons your lasagna is watery. If you use frozen spinach, you may not have drained or squeezed as much of the liquid out as possible. Using wet noodles that were not drained properly is another probable cause.
Yes, but the lasagna may be a little more loose than you’re used to but it will taste the same. You can omit altogether or use an egg substitute like cream with cornstarch.
This recipe includes: Homemade sugo al pomodoro (tomato sauce), freshly grated cheeses, fresh ricotta cheese, earthy spinach, and a hint of spices. This recipe highlights simple fresh ingredients as traditional Italian recipes commonly do.
If you ever feel like you’ve ingested a brick bomb after eating a heavy lasagna I promise you won’t feel that way after this light and fresh recipe. It is the true Italian way just like my Nonna used to make for us.
The canned sauces are packed full of fat, salt, and sugar. That’s why it’s always better to make your own sauce. You’ll eat a much healthier meal, you won’t add all the salt, sugar, and fat, and you know exactly what you’re eating. I make a big batch of our Sugo al Pomodoro (Classic Italian Tomato Sauce) and freeze it in portions to always have on hand. You can’t beat the fresh taste!
For this recipe, you cook the lasagna noodles before building the lasagna. This creates a more authentic lasagna recipe. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water according to the directions on the package, then lay the cooked noodles on a flat surface so that they won’t stick together. See this post on how to cook pasta perfectly every time. However, if you are in a pinch you can use no-boil pasta lasagna sheets. Here is what you need to do for that.
Using no-boil lasagna noodles decreases the prep time for homemade lasagna by at about 15 minutes total. If you use the no-boil variety you will need to add more liquid and cover the lasagna tightly until the end before you brown the cheesy top.
1. No-boil lasagna noodles are often thinner than regular lasagna noodles and are already partially cooked in a water bath before they were dried and packaged.
2. They don’t require boiling, but they need additional liquid to reconstitute them during the baking process. Adding 1/4 cup of water to the sauce adds the extra liquid needed for the noodles to cook without making the lasagna dry.
3. Lasagnas that contain no-boil noodles should be kept tightly covered with a lid or foil during baking so the steam can help cook the noodles. Take off the cover during the last 5-10 minutes to brown the cheese layer.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- I recommend using whole milk ricotta and mozzarella cheese for the best flavor. That being said. Yes, you can substitute for part-skim versions if you need. The cheese won’t melt as nicely since low-fat cheese contains added stabilizers.
- Use freshly shredded cheese, not a bag of pre-shredded cheese. The bagged shredded cheese from the grocery store often contains anti-caking agents and does not melt smoothly. Read more about you should shred your own cheese HERE.
- If possible make your own red sauce (sugo al pomodoro). It takes 20 minutes and is worth the fresh and light flavor. I make mine in large batches and freeze them in containers. I can pull one out whenever I need it for a recipe.
- Make sure to squeeze all the excess water out of the cooked spinach. This will prevent your lasagna from getting watery as it bakes.
- You can use 2 boxes of frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach. If you use frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze the water out of the spinach after you thaw it to room temperature.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
You can freeze lasagna bolognese both uncooked and cooked, whole or in pieces. In both cases you will get an excellent result by following these tips:
Freezing Uncooked Lasagna
- Simply assemble your lasagna in your oven-safe dish and cover it generously with plastic wrap.
- When ready to eat the frozen lasagna defrost it the night before so that it thaws perfectly.
- You can also pull straight from the freezer and add 30 minutes to the cooking time.
Freezing Cooked Lasagna
- If you have any cooked lasagna that is leftover you can freeze it in portions by wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Make sure to let the lasagna cool before freezing.
- When you want to reheat it, defrost the lasagna a few hours ahead of time and then reheat it in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
- TIP: When reheating lasagna in the oven cover the surface with aluminum foil to prevent it from cooking the top of the lasagna even more.
Making ahead of time:
- This dish can be assembled up to 6 hours before you plan to bake it. Store it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake and eat it.
- You can store any leftover lasagna in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Recipe Variations
This spinach lasagna is simply delicious as-is. It is our family recipe and we love it this way! You can add some of your favorite flavors to customize it to your tastes if you like. Here are options for you:
- Meat: Add meat to the red sauce such as crumbled and cooked Italian sausage, cooked ground beef, or diced grilled chicken.
- Veggies: Feel free to add other vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or carrots.
- Greens: You can substitute kale, escarole, or other cooked greens for spinach.
- Cheese: Try adding some other cheeses such as fontina, provolone, or Pecorino Romano.
- Spices: try adding other herbs and spices like garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, thyme, or rosemary.
If you love spinach recipes, you will also enjoy this Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe!
Serving Suggestions
Serve it with salad on a weeknight or alongside a platter of my signature polpette (Italian meatballs), or Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce) for Sunday dinner. Add some homemade bread, and you are all set! Or you can also check these Classic Italian Recipes for dinner!
Don’t forget dessert: Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust, Italian Fruit Salad, and Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic).
See this post for What to Serve with Lasagna (50 Best Side Dishes).
Made with Amore, Elena
From My Cucina to your Table- Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
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THIS Authentic SPINACH AND RICOTTA Lasagna makes a great meal to take to a friend in need. Assemble it in a disposable tinfoil container and brighten someones day!
Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.
I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.
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Spinach Lasagna with Ricotta Recipe
Saucy sugo al pomodoro, creamy cheesy, earthy spinach, and tasty basil lasagna! A mouthful of savory and delicious goodness. This recipe highlights simple fresh ingredients as traditional Italian recipes commonly do.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 dried lasagna pasta (also use no boil if desired)
- 3 to 4 cups sugo al pomodoro
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups (1 1/2 pounds fresh) spinach, cooked (steamed or sautéed, liquid removed)
- 32 oz (2 LB) cups whole milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (extra for top)
- 2 cups grated Parmegiano (extra for top)
- 6 fresh basil leaves, torn with hands
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Make a batch of the Sugo al Pomodoro (tomato sauce). Set aside.
- Steam or saute spinach and remove liquid. Cool completely. Cut to create small pieces.
- Mix the ricotta, egg, parmigiano, nutmeg (if using) and basil in a large bowl until combined. Once spinach is cooled, combine with ricotta mixture.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (skip steps 5-6 if using no boil noodles)
- Cook the noodles (6 at a time for dried pasta) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes). Set aside in a bowl of cold water until ready to use. This will prevent pasta from sticking.
- Grease a 9X13 rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan. Put a layer of pasta (use 4-5 depending on size) in the dish (you may need to cut any excess to make them fit) top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach and ricotta mixture, and one-third of the grated mozzarella (use your fingers to spread it evenly). Season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Repeat the layers three times. For the top, cover with extra cheese.
- The lasagna may be made ahead to this point, wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to a day or frozen.
- Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving, or cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.
Notes
This is a great freezer and make ahead recipe as well. You can freeze the entire pan of pre-baked and assembled lasagna for up to 3 weeks. When ready to use simple bake for an additional 30 min (until the center is fully cooked).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
Best lasagna ever! My husband has to have meat with dinner so I added turkey sausage fresh from my neighbor’s farm to the sauce. Sooo good. This will be my go to lasagna recipe from now on!
Absolutely delicious! This was the first time i made this recipe and it was a hit with my toddler grandkids and their parents! I couldn’t find whole milk ricotta so used part skim ricotta and it was delicious.
Thrilled the whole family loved it!
Best lasagna recipe I’ve ever made! This was delicious! I plan on making again and again!!
Happy you loved it! It’s a tried and true classic. I have a new Mediterranean Lasagna recipe that I published TODAY. Check it out and add that one to the list too. Enjoy!
This the first time I ever made lasagne and it was for company. I picked this recipe because some guests were vegetarian and it sounded healthy with the fresh spinach. I am so glad I found it because it was easy to follow and everyone loved it! I made it mostly as written but used the no-boil noodles and one 24 oz. jar Rao’s marinara sauce and a half jar of Rao’s Arrabbiata sauce. It wasn’t too spicy and had great flavor! I couldn’t resist adding a cup or two more ricotta because we love it and it came out great! I did have to adjust the cooking time because I had made it the day before and it was chilled when I put it in the oven. I think it took over an hour covered with foil and it looked just like the picture on the computer when I uncovered it. Thank you for a delicious recipe and can’t wait to try more!
Hi Laura! Thrilled you loved the lasagna recipe. I hope you enjoy many more recipes in the future. All the best, Elena
Turned out incredible! Thanks for the amazing recipe!! I also followed your recipe for homemade sauce and it turned out so well!!
Thrilled you loved the recipe. It is a family favorite here as well.
First time I ever made lasagna, and this recipe couldn’t be easier! The taste of each element was so so good, especially the tomato marinara. It truly does make a difference when you choose the better variety of canned tomatoes.
Definitely a new favourite recipe for me, and will keep coming back to this one again and again
I’m thrilled it will be on your rotation. It is a family favorite and well-loved. Enjoy!
Best lasagna ever!!
So happy you loved it!
Yay! So happy you loved it!
Thank you for this recipe as I had the ingredients in the house and the dish came out well. I appreciate the instructions using no boil lasagna noodles.
So happy you loved it!