Easy Spinach Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna is an all-time favorite dish that everyone enjoys, but the one downfall about this meal is that it can take a lot of prep time. Luckily, this recipe for easy spinach lasagna is excellent, since it requires just eight minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cook time. It doesn't get much easier than that, right? This means it's a great choice for a weeknight dinner since you can easily throw it together after work, and it's also perfect to serve on the weekend for family or friends. The dish yields 12 servings, and it can certainly feed a lot of mouths.

Recipe developer and private practice registered dietician Kristen Carli came up with this yummy main course that is filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses and a lot of spinach. She shares that her favorite thing about it is the ease of preparation, and we'd have to agree. "This comes together quickly for a weeknight meal," Carli shares. She also notes that it's "a great vegetarian Meatless Monday meal." Even beginners can whip it up pretty simply. "Yes, this is a very easy recipe," she notes. "Be sure to use no-boil lasagna noodles [and] store-bought red sauce for the easiest lasagna ever."

Keep reading to find out how to make this amazing dish. It's a recipe you will want to make time and again.

Your first step is to gather all of the required items needed to put the recipe together. For starters, you will need nine no-boil lasagna noodles and a 16-ounce jar of marinara sauce. In addition, make sure you have ricotta cheese and some salt and pepper for flavor. Hopefully you already have both salt and pepper at home, otherwise you'll need to pick those up as well.

You can find the rest of the items on the list in the refrigerator or freezer section of your local grocery store. These ingredients include grated Parmesan cheese, spinach, and fresh mozzarella. Once you have everything together, it's time to begin preparing the recipe. (See — we told you this is a really easy recipe to pull together!)

Before you do anything else, preheat your oven to 350 F. It's best to do this ahead of time so it's at the right temperature by the time the lasagna is ready to go in. While it's preheating, you can get the other steps started. Take out a 9x13-inch baking dish, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray to be sure nothing sticks to the sides or bottom. Then, use a small bowl, and add in ¼ cup of Parmesan, salt, pepper, and ricotta. Stir everything together well to combine. You will use this tasty mixture as the filling for the layers of your lasagna.

Now, put the baking dish in front of you. Start your delicious masterpiece by placing three lasagna noodles at the bottom. Next, add about ⅓ of the marinara sauce. After that, grab your ricotta mix, and spread about ½ of it over the marinara. Then, add ½ of the spinach. Last but not least, sprinkle over ½ cup of mozzarella. This is a super cheesy layer, and we love it.

Then, repeat these steps with another layer of lasagna noodles, followed by ⅓ of the marinara sauce, the remaining ricotta and spinach, and then ½ cup of mozzarella. It's pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it.

Okay, this next layer is the final one, and it involves adding the rest of the goodies that you have sitting on the side. Go ahead and top the lasagna with another layer of noodles, followed by the remaining ⅓ cup of marinara sauce. After that, you can put on the last cup of shredded mozzarella, and then sprinkle ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese on top. 

Place your tray of lasagna in the oven, and bake it for about 30 minutes. Check on the lasagna, and be sure that it doesn't burn. Every oven is a little different, so it's best to look in on it frequently.

Your kitchen will smell really good when your meal is just about done. Once your timer dings, take the lasagna out of the oven, and let it cool off just a bit so it cuts well. Slice it in squares, and serve as you wish. You can add a little more Parmesan cheese or marinara on top, if you would like. "I love a slice of this lasagna served with roasted broccoli and a simple green salad," Carli says. A piece of garlic bread would also be a great addition.

"Leftovers store best in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days," Carli notes. "They also can be frozen for up to three months." Well, that's if you have any leftovers! This is sure to be a pretty popular dish at your house, so be prepared for everyone asking for second helpings.