afoona
Dairy Lasagna with Ricotta and Spinach
Pasta & Rice

Dairy Lasagna with Ricotta and Spinach – Gluten-free version

Layers of ricotta and spinach in tomato sauce under a browning dome of mozzarella. A meatless lasagna you can assemble ahead and bake on the day of serving. Gluten-free version: Gluten-free pasta.

⏱ 1 hr 15 min🍽 8 servings 🌍 Mediterranean👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 3 parts

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Tomato sauce

  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
  2. 2
    In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, olive oil and garlic.
    ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveSmall saucepan
  3. 3
    Add and fry 3 minutes, until the peppers soften.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
    💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
  4. 4
    Add and stir about a minute, until fragrant.
    ⚙ SimmeringStove
    💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.

For the Pastry Filling

  1. 5
    Chop the spinach.
    KnifeCutting board
  2. 6
    In a bowl, mix the spinach, ricotta, eggs and nutmeg, and season with salt and black pepper.
    Bowl

To assemble

  1. 7
    Briefly cook the lasagna sheets according to the package directions, until pliable but still firm, and separate them on a towel so they don't stick.
    StovePotKitchen towel
  2. 8
    Add half of the parmesan to the filling and mix.
  3. 9
    Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 22 by 30 cm baking pan, arrange three sheets, spread a third of the filling and sprinkle with a little of the mozzarella. Repeat the layers twice more, and finish with a layer of sheets, the tomato sauce and the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan.
    Baking pan
  4. 10
    Cover the pan with foil and bake 25 minutes.
    OvenBaking panAluminum foil
  5. 11
    Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
    ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan
    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
  6. 12
    Leave the lasagna out of the oven 15 minutes, and only then cut.
  7. 13
    Serve with the basil leaves.
450calories
26 gprotein
35 gcarbs
22 gfat
● protein 23%● carbs 31%● fat 46%

Per serving (281 g), of 8 servings

For the Tomato sauce · For the Pastry Filling · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (9) · 🍳 3 cooking vessels

  • Oven · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Pot · Also works: Deep skillet (sauté pan) (less liquid, faster evaporation) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Wok (For quick cooking)
  • Small saucepan · Also works: Pot (None) · Frying pan (A deep pan for sauces)
  • Baking pan · Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Kitchen towel · Also works: Plastic wrap (Plastic wrap over the bowl) · Paper towels (None)

🧻 Consumables: Aluminum foil

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

🧩 Built from…

Tomato sauce → Cheese Filling → Lasagna

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