Best Spinach Lasagna
This is truely the best spinach lasagna recipe ever! It is not difficult to make because you don’t have to cook the noodles before putting the lasagna together. The sauce is made with sauteed fresh spinach, onion and garlic with bottled marinara sauce. The filling is made with cottage cheese, mozarella cheese and parmesan cheese. I prefer cottage cheese in lasagna but you could substitute ricotta cheese if you desire. Lasagna is one of those foods that is so comforting and enjoyable to eat. I love this lasagna because it is meatless but you would never miss the meat! These spinach lasagna rollups are also meatless and delicious.
Here’s what you need to make the best spinach lasagna:
- Lasagna noodles: I like to use the oven ready variety but you can use regular uncooked noodles as well. This recipe does not require the noodles to be cooked which I love. It saves a lot of time to put the noodles in the lasagna dry.
- Spinach: You can use fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe. Fresh is easier in my opinion because you don’t have to unthaw or drain the frozen spinach. You will need 10 ounces of fresh or frozen spinach. If you use fresh spinach it takes the whole bag. The spinach cooks down very quickly when you saute it.
- Bottled marinara sauce: Buy a good quality marinara sauce. You can use any flavor that you choose. I like to use tomato and basil marinara sauce.
- Cottage cheese: I love cottage cheese in lasagna but you could also substitute ricotta cheese.
- Half of a chopped onion.
- Two cloves of minced garlic
- One large egg
- Grated mozarella and parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Olive oil
- Spices: Dried or fresh basil and oregano, fine sea salt and pepper
Directions for the best spinach lasagna:
- In a large frying pan over medium heat saute the onion and spinach in olive oil until spinach is wilted. You will need the entire 10 oz bag of spinach and it will shrink down quickly. Add the garlic, basil and oregano and saute until aromatic.
- Pour in marinara sauce and 1-1/2 cups of water and simmer the sauce, covered, for at least 20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl mix the cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, egg, sea salt and pepper.
- Place about 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of 9×13 baking dish and start to build the layers. Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce and top with another layer of the sauce. Add 6 large spoonfuls of cheese mixture as shown above. Add 4 more noodles on top with another layer of sauce and cheese mixture. Repeat layers with noodles, sauce and cheese mixture. You should have enough noodles, sauce and cheese mixture to make 4 layers of lasagna. Add 1-1/2 cups of shredded mozarella cheese to top and cover with tin foil.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes on center rack. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until cheese is starting to brown and lasagna is nice and bubbly. After removing lasagna from the oven let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool before cutting into squares.
- You may garnish with more chopped parsley before serving.
Storage of lasagna:
Lasagna must be cooled before storing covered in the refrigerator with plastic wrap or tin foil. It will keep in refrigerator about 5-7 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Other Italian recipes to try:
Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs
Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwich
Best Spinach Lasagna
The best spinach lasagna is meatless but very hearty and delicious with layers of spinach sauce and 3 cheeses. You won't miss the meat!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 10 oz bag fresh spinach leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 32 oz. jar marinara sauce, any flavor You may need to use a 24 oz jar and another cup of bottled marinara sauce if you can't find a 32 oz jar.
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 16 uncooked lasagna noodles I like the oven ready lasagna noodles but any kind will work
- 2 cups cottage cheese 4% milk fat
- 1 8 oz. package shredded mozarella cheese (filling)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese (top of lasagna)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat saute the onion and spinach in olive oil until spinach is wilted. You will need the entire 10 oz bag of spinach and it will shrink down quickly. Add the garlic, basil and oregano and saute until aromatic.
- Pour in marinara sauce and 1-1/2 cups of water and simmer the sauce, covered, for at least 20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl mix the cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, egg, sea salt and pepper.
- Place about 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of 9x13 baking dish and start to build the layers. Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce and top with another layer of the sauce. Add 6 large spoonfuls of cheese mixture as shown above. Add 4 more noodles on top with another layer of sauce and cheese mixture. Repeat layers with noodles, sauce and cheese mixture. You should have enough noodles, sauce and cheese mixture to make 4 layers of lasagna.
- Add 1-1/2 cups of shredded mozarella cheese to top and cover with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes on center rack. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until cheese is starting to brown and lasagna is nice and bubbly.
- After removing lasagna from the oven let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool before cutting into squares. You may garnish with more chopped parsley before serving.
- Calories based on 9 servings