Cheesy Spinach Lasagna
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna is a fabulous meatless pasta dish. Instead of meat, the tomato sauce includes fresh spinach, and the filling includes a ricotta cheese layer as well as parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. It’s super delicious and perfect for family or company dinners.
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Nowadays, I make these kinds of dishes more for when we’re entertaining than just for the two of us. But I decided to give this casserole a try last month. I would have even made it gluten free, but I didn’t have any gluten free lasagna noodles in my cupboard, so I settled for what I did have. I was very pleased with how this recipe turned out.
It was not only tasty, but great enough to serve company–especially if you have guests who try to eat meatless on occasion. John and I ate it for leftovers for several days and it was just as good reheated as the first time I made it.
I enjoy meatless main dishes with pasta and I’ve made several of them. Some of my favorites include Tortellini Spinach Casserole, Gluten Free Baked Penne, Stuffed Shells Florentine, Spinach Mushroom Ravioli, Creamy Avocado Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Baked Ravioli. Going meatless certainly does not mean going without taste.
If you’re looking for a cheesy main dish to serve your family, I highly recommend Cheesy Spinach Lasagna. If you prefer a gluten free version, you can easily add gluten free lasagna noodles. Otherwise, it’s perfect just like it is.
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna is terrific.
This tasty entree is meatless so it’s the perfect casserole to make for Meatless Mondays or Lent.
I enjoy pasta main dishes and this one is delicious.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients for the tomato sauce.
Saute onions and garlic about 5 minutes in olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomatoes.
Stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook over low heat about 20 minutes.
Add spinach and fresh parsley and combine.
Set aside while preparing cheese filling.
I used these ingredients for the cheese layer. I also used one cup of an Italian six-cheese blend.
Place ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl. Add egg, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and basil.
Stir ingredients to combine.
Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1/3 cup tomato sauce over the bottom.
Top with lasagna noodles. (These were the no-boil kind).
Dab ricotta cheese mixture over top of the noodles. You will need to use at least TWICE as much as this.
Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Repeat layers, but use at least a cup or more of sauce and about twice as much of the ricotta cheese mixture as shown in the first picture.
Repeat layers twice. I’m showing you this picture so you can see where I goofed. I had so much ricotta cheese mixture leftover that I had to spread it all on the top layer. Do your best to try to even out the ingredients better than I did. 🙁
Add remaining tomato sauce mixture. (Again, more of this should have been used on previous layers).
Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and the cheese blend.
Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
Allow casserole to sit out about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley, as desired.
This cheesy entree is very filling and satisfying.
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna is so delicious you’ll want to put it on your regular menu.
Here’s the recipe.
CHEESY SPINACH LASAGNA
(Recipe adapted from A Kitchen Addiction)
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 Dutch oven with lid
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
TOMATO SAUCE:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 29 oz. can diced petite tomatoes undrained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
- 29 oz. can crushed tomatoes undrained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach leaves packed
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley minced
LASAGNA:
- 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 extra large egg or use a large egg
- 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 14 oz. pkg. no-boil lasagna noodles dry
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend shredded (mozzarella, parmesan, romano,asiago, provolone & fontina)
- 1 tsp. fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
TOMATO SAUCE:
- Pour olive oil into a large Dutch oven.
- Heat pan to medium.
- Add sea salt and onions and sauté about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, pepper and pepper flakes and sauté about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes; cover with lid and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and parsley.
- Set aside.
LASAGNA:
- Combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil, egg, salt and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Stir until well combined.
- To assemble: Spray a 9x13” glass baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Place about 1/3 cup of tomato sauce in the prepared dish.
- Place three noodles over top.
- Spread about ½ cup ricotta cheese mixture over top of the noodles.
- Sprinkle with one cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spread 1 ½ cups tomato sauce over top of the cheese.
- Cover with noodles, ½ cup ricotta cheese mixture and another cup mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Top with cheese blend.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake about 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna is delightful for family or company dinners.
The longer it sits out, the better it stacks. If you’re looking for a meatless main dish recipe, this one is comfort food extraordinaire!
You may enjoy these delicious recipes!
Cheesy Spinach Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 Dutch oven with lid
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
TOMATO SAUCE:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 29 oz. can diced petite tomatoes undrained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
- 29 oz. can crushed tomatoes undrained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach leaves packed
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley minced
LASAGNA:
- 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 extra large egg or use a large egg
- 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 14 oz. pkg. no-boil lasagna noodles dry
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend shredded (mozzarella, parmesan, romano,asiago, provolone & fontina)
- 1 tsp. fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
TOMATO SAUCE:
- Pour olive oil into a large Dutch oven.
- Heat pan to medium.
- Add sea salt and onions and sauté about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, pepper and pepper flakes and sauté about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes; cover with lid and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and parsley.
- Set aside.
LASAGNA:
- Combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil, egg, salt and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Stir until well combined.
- To assemble: Spray a 9×13” glass baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Place about 1/3 cup of tomato sauce in the prepared dish.
- Place three noodles over top.
- Spread about ½ cup ricotta cheese mixture over top of the noodles.
- Sprinkle with one cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spread 1 ½ cups tomato sauce over top of the cheese.
- Cover with noodles, ½ cup ricotta cheese mixture and another cup mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Top with cheese blend.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake about 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, before serving.