This spinach lasagna is easy to make, light to eat, and totally yummy. And it’s good for you. It’s also another great reason to always make extra of our Quick Tomato Sauce for the freezer. Quick as this sauce is to throw together, if you have some on hand, you can put real homemade lasagna on the table in 45 minutes from the moment you thought of it to dishing it up. Great if you have a hungry family to feed. Another shortcut would be to use either prewashed or frozen whole leaf spinach. Either way this dish will be a standout!
2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Par-boil the lasagna according to package instructions. Drain and lay in a single layer on parchment paper or non-stick surface.
3. Heat a wide skillet over medium heat and cook the olive oil and garlic for 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the spinach with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander and press the water out of the spinach.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the drained spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
5. Lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Spread 2 heaping spoonfuls of tomato sauce on the bottom, then spread a single layer of the par-boiled noodles. Spread half the ricotta mixture on top, then cover with another layer of noodles. Spread ¾ of the remaining tomato sauce, then another layer of noodles. Pour on the remaining ricotta mixture and evenly distribute, then cover with the last of the lasagna noodles. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and the reserved mozzarella cheese.
6. Cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes until bubbling. Let cool slightly then serve.
Ann’s Tips and Tricks
Spinach is the incredible shrinking vegetable. When it meets a heat source, a giant 1-pound bag of spinach becomes about 1 cup of cooked, so, if you decide to use frozen spinach to make this dish, you will need 1½ 10-ounce bags.
