This lasagna is very easy to adapt to your liking. The recipe calls for chicken sausage but any sausage, including a plant-based, can be used. I like to use fresh or oven-ready noodles which seem to hold up better than boiled noodles. If you prefer a cheesier lasagna, add another 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese.
Prep Time40 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
6 - 8 cups baby spinachwashed and dried with just a bit of residual water left on the leaves
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1poundchicken Italian sausagecasings removed (or use your favourite sausage)
1medium onionfinely diced
4garlic clovesminced
1/2teaspoonred-pepper flakesplus more to taste
2teaspoonsdried oregano
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4cuptomato paste
228-ouncecans whole tomatoesor jarred sauce (see recipe notes)
1/2cupchicken stock or waterplus more if sauce is too thick
215-ouncetubs ricotta cheese
1large egg
1cupmozzarella cheese, coarsley grated
1 1/2cupsParmesan cheese, finely gratedplus more to serve
16oven-ready (no boil) lasagna noodles(One box should have 16 noodles, if not use 3 noodles per layer)
Instructions
Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Add the spinach and toss until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Squeeze the spinach in a paper towel or clean tea towel to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
Turn the heat up to medium and add the oil to the pot followed by the sausage. Cook breaking up the sausage until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes more. Add the whole tomatoes breaking them up really well with a wooden spoon. Pour in the chicken stock, or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, egg, and 1 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl whisking, vigurously until smooth.
At this point, if the sauce has thickened too much, add another 1/3 cup chicken stock or water. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Coat the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan with butter or oil and spread the bottom with 1 1/2 cups of the sausage mixture. Top with a layer of 4 noodles, then 1 1/2 cup ricotta mixture, and 1/3 of the spinach. Sprinkle with all the mozarella. Top with 4 noodles and repeat the pattern two more times, without the mozzarella, for the remaining layers but making sure to reserve 1 cup of sauce and 1/2 cup parmesan.
For the last layer, place 4 more noodles topped by the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for about 10-15 minutes, until the top of the lasagna is nicely browned and bubbly.
Allow lasagna to rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
If you are using jarred sauce, add a can of whole tomatoes, along with the cup of water or chicken stock or you will not have enough sauce. Alternatively, use two jars of sauce. If you don't have enough spinach for all 3 layers, just use the spinach for two layers total.