Spinach Lasagna Recipe with Ricotta
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.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 dried lasagna pasta can also use no boil if desired
- 3 to 4 cups sugo al pomodoro
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups 1 ½ pounds fresh spinach cooked (steamed or sautéed, liquid removed)
- 32 oz whole milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg optional
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese + extra for top
- 2 cups freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese + extra for top
- 6 fresh basil leaves torn with hands
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- 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
- Squeeze the spinach thoroughly after cooking so no excess liquid remains to prevent a watery lasagna.
- Use whole milk ricotta for the creamiest texture and best structure. If the ricotta looks loose or watery, strain it in a fine-mesh sieve before mixing it with the spinach to keep the filling thick and stable.
- Build thin, even layers rather than thick, heavy ones. Spreading the filling evenly helps the lasagna bake uniformly and makes it easier to slice cleanly after resting.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes after baking before cutting into it. This resting time helps the layers set and prevents excess moisture from spilling out.
- 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 months. When ready to use, simply bake from frozen adding 30 minutes to the cooking time, or until the center is fully cooked.
- If using no-boil lasagna noodles, add about ¼ cup of water to the tomato sauce to provide enough moisture for the noodles to soften as they bake. Be sure to cover the lasagna tightly with foil during most of the baking time so the steam can properly hydrate the pasta. Remove the foil during the last 5–10 minutes to allow the cheese on top to brown and bubble.
Nutrition
Serving: 10g | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1872IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 539mg | Iron: 2mg
