Easy Spinach Lasagna Recipe

By CHOW Test Kitchen   www.chow.com/recipes

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Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins | Makes: 8 to 12 servings

Making a proper lasagna is all about a harmonious ratio of filling, cheese, sauce, and noodles. For this spinach and cheese version we’ve skipped the béchamel sauce found in traditional lasagnas to make the dish fast and easy to assemble. Combine frozen spinach, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and an egg for the filling and layer it with sauce, noodles, and mozzarella cheese. Bake until browned and bubbly, and serve with a simple salad or vegetable side for a cozy vegetarian meal.

This recipe was featured as part of our lasagna recipe slideshow.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15- to 16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce or jarred marinara sauce
• 1 (8- to 9-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
• 1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Vegetable or olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place the ricotta, spinach, half of the Parmesan, the garlic, and the egg in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
3. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
4. Construct the lasagna by layering 3 of the noodles over the sauce. Top with another 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce and spread it evenly to the edges of the dish. Using a small spoon, dollop a third of the ricotta mixture (about 1 cup) evenly over the sauce and flatten the dollops with the back of the spoon (the ricotta mixture will spread out more when it heats up). Evenly lay a quarter of the mozzarella slices over the ricotta.
5. Make 2 more layers of noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, and mozzarella. Evenly sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Coat 1 side of a large piece of aluminum foil with vegetable or olive oil and cover the dish tightly with the foil, oil-side down.
6. Bake until the sauce is starting to bubble around the edges, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is browned, about 20 minutes more. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.