Perfect Spinach Lasagna

By Diana Rattray

Updated 11/07/18

Perfect Spinach Lasagna
Diana Rattray
  • Total: 100 mins
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 70 mins
  • Yield: 12 Portions (12 Servings)

This delicious spinach lasagna recipe is a tried-and-true classic no-meat lasagna with layers of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, your favorite purchased or homemade marinara sauce, lasagna noodles, and spinach. 

Serve this flavorful lasagna with crusty bread for a fabulous meal. We like it with garlic bread and a simple tossed salad. It makes a bunch, so it's great for a potluck or big family meal. 

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen spinach, thawed, drained well (squeeze to eliminate as much liquid as possible) (divided)
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg (beaten)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 jars (16 to 24 ounces each) marinara or spaghetti sauce, or about 32 to 36 ounces homemade*
  • 8 to 10 ounces lasagna noodles (cooked, cooled enough to handle)
  • 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F.  

  2. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish or lasagna pan.

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with half of the drained and squeezed spinach, half of the grated Parmesan cheese, the egg, garlic powder, and salt. Mix to blend well.

  4. Mix the remaining half of the drained spinach with the marinara sauce.

  5. Spread about 1/2 to 1 cup of the marinara-spinach mixture over the bottom of the baking dish, just enough to coat the bottom. Top with a layer of noodles. Top the noodle layer with about 3/4 cup of the marinara; spread over the noodles. With a small spoon, put about one-third of the ricotta mixture over the sauce layer, spacing evenly in small dollops. Sprinkle with about one-quarter of the mozzarella cheese. 

  6. Repeat, making two more layers of the noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. 

  7. Top with another layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce, shredded mozzarella, and the remaining half of the grated Parmesan cheese. 

  8. Grease a sheet of foil large enough to fit over the lasagna. Cover the lasagna tightly with the foil, greased side down. If your baking pan is very full, place a foil-lined baking sheet on a lower rack to catch spills. 

  9. Bake the lasagna  for about 45 minutes, or until very hot and you can see it is beginning to bubble. Remove the foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until very hot and cheese has melted.

* About 36 ounces of marinara sauce from a jar (or about 1 1/2 24-ounce jars of sauce) were used for this recipe.