This Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna is a staple recipe from my childhood, with layers of homemade tomato sauce and a creamy ricotta and spinach filling between noodles, topped with more cheese and baked until the edges are crisp and the inside is tender and perfectly cooked. I added a few new things to spice it up – lemon zest and nutmeg – and they really take it to the next level.
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Ingredients
Ingredients to make this spinach ricotta lasagna are below, with quantities listed in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Pasta noodles: I like to use the no boil pasta noodles. Yes, it’s cutting a corner, but I feel like the biggest annoyance of a lasagna is par-boiling the noodles in a huge pot and then separating them and dealing with all that.
- Passata: Strained tomatoes (no chunks, even smoother than a tomato puree) which is perfect for a smooth tomato sauce. Learn more about passata here.
- Yellow onion: Minced onion creates the perfect base of flavor for the tomato sauce.
- Garlic: About four garlic cloves, minced, flavors the sauce.
- Cheeses: A mixture of ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated parmesan cheese are combined to make the cheese layer.
- Olive oil: For sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Egg: Binds together the cheese mixture and gives it a somewhat custardy texture.
- Parsley: A fresh element in the cheese layer.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach or frozen spinach can be used. I like to use fresh and cook it down. If you’re using frozen spinach make sure you defrost it and squeeze out the excess water.
- Lemon zest: The smallest hint of lemon zest brings the dish to life with acidity and a very mild background flavor of citrus.
- Nutmeg: A dash of nutmeg brings a subtle warmth and depth of flavor.
- Salt and pepper
How to make spinach and ricotta lasagna
Make the sauce. In a medium pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Once warm, sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until softened and very fragrant.
Add the salt and passata, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Cook the spinach. Warm another skillet over medium heat. Add all the spinach and cook for 5 minutes until it’s all wilted.
Chop the spinach. Let it cool then squeeze out the excess liquid and chop it up.
Make the ricotta filling. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, pepper, egg, and chopped spinach.
Layer. Spread a ladle full of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
Place a single layer of noodles on top of the sauce.
Followed by a layer of the ricotta mixture (using about ½ cup).
Followed by a layer of sauce (1-2 ladles).
Repeat with layers of lasagna noodles, cheese, and sauce until you’re out of both ending your final layer with noodles, sauce, and then top with additional remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a final 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
What is lasagna?
It’s an Italian baked pasta dish made with bolognese and bechamel sauce (meat sauce and white sauce), however many regions make it differently, so there is no one traditional lasagna recipe. For example, in southern Italy they use ricotta instead of bechamel, and that is how I like it (the Italian part of my family is from Sicily). Then, to make it vegetarian, I use a classic marinara sauce in place of meat sauce (bolognese).
Tips and tricks
- The no-boil noodles expand as they bake so if they don’t cover the entirety of the pan don’t worry.
- If you want to use regular noodles or fresh lasagna sheets you can – just par boil lasagna noodles to al dente (a few minutes shy of package instructions), then drain the cooked noodles and lay them out individually so they don't get stuck together while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Cooking time will vary based on the noodle you use, so make sure you check the packaging.
- If you want an extra crispy top, broil the lasagna for a few minutes before you take it out of the oven.
- If you have a jarred marinara sauce that you swear by, feel free to use it in this recipe instead of making your own sauce.
- While this is a vegetarian lasagna recipe, if you want to make it a meat lasagna I’d suggest browning some ground beef and adding it to the sauce (you can cook it in the same skillet before you add the onion and garlic).
- You can use a food processor to cut up the spinach and make the ricotta mixture.
- If you want to add more protein, use half cottage cheese and half ricotta cheese.
- To make it a little spicy, add some red pepper flakes or chopped Calabrian chili to the tomato sauce.
Storage and reheating
- Store leftover lasagna in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Reheat lasagna in the microwave for a few minutes or the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
- Lasagna can be par baked and frozen, then finished baking when you’d like to eat it. I like to do this in a foil baking dish as opposed to ceramic.
What to serve with spinach and ricotta lasagna
Lasagna is quite filling on its own, but if you want to balance the meal with something additional here are some suggestions!
- A simple arugula salad with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and pistachios or pine nuts.
- If you'd like to add meat, a grilled steak or roasted chicken would be delicious.
- A vegetable side dish like roasted zucchini or carrots glazed with maple and chili.
How to make lasagna ahead
Prepare and assemble the lasagna in your baking dish, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for up to two days. Before you bake it, take it out 30 minutes to start bringing it to room temperature.
FAQs
If you have dairy free alternatives you like for all the cheeses used in this recipe, I don’t see why not! I have not tried it, though.
Similar to dairy free, I haven’t tried it, but if you have gluten free lasagna noodles that you like, go for it.
Covered to start so the inside cooks, then uncovered to finish so the top browns.
Not really, formally, one is single (a single sheet of lasagna) one is plural (multiple sheets of lasagne).
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and review below and tag me on social!
📖 Recipe
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna
Equipment
- 10.5 x 7.5 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 boxes oven ready lasagna noodles
Sauce
- 26 oz passata (strained tomatoes)
- ½ yellow onion minced, ½ cup
- 4 cloves garlic minced, 1 tbsp
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ricotta cheese mixture
- 32 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 oz spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375℉
Make the sauce
- In a medium pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Once warm, sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until softened and very fragrant.
- Add the salt and passata, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Cook the spinach
- Warm another skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and spinach, and cook for 5 minutes until it’s all wilted.
- Let it cool then squeeze out the excess liquid and chop it up.
Make the ricotta filling
- In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, pepper, egg, and chopped spinach.
Assemble
- Spread a ladle full of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Place a single layer of noodles on top of the sauce.
- Followed by a layer of the ricotta mixture (using about ½ cup).
- Followed by a layer of sauce (1-2 ladles).
- Repeat with layers of lasagna noodles, cheese, and sauce until you’re out of both ending your final layer with noodles, sauce, and then top with additional remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a final 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
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