Spinach and Ricotta Recipe -

Spinach and Ricotta Recipe

Creamy ricotta, spinach and mushrooms in a layered Italian pasta bake with a hint of nutmeg and a tasty tomato sauce! This vegetarian lasagne is great for dinner, it's super tasty and easy to make.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Vegetarian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 835kcal

Author Michelle Alston

Ingredients

For The Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely minced or put through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
690 g /2⅓ cups of passata
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf

For The Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil divided into two halves
1 tablespoon butter
350 g /5 cups of whole brown mushrooms wiped clean and roughly sliced
500 g / 2¼ cups young leaf spinach
1 heaped tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
2 tablespoon fresh oregano finely chopped
¼ teaspoon nutmeg finely grated
500 g / 2 cups of fresh ricotta
50 g / ½ a cup of Grana Padano finely grated, or any vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
2 cloves of garlic finely minced or put through a garlic press
12 fresh lasagne sheets

For The Topping

200 g / 1 cup of fresh mozzarella torn into pieces
20 g / ¼ cup of Grana Padano finely grated, or any vegetarian parmesan-style cheese

Instructions

Make The Sauce

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt then cook until softened. Once softened add the dried oregano and garlic and cook for a minute.
Next, add the passata, and stir well. Then add one tablespoon of tomato puree, half a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, a pinch of freshly grated black pepper and one dried bay leaf.
Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces and is thicker. Remove the bay leaf once the sauce is ready, then check the seasoning, and add more salt or pepper if needed.

Make The Filling

While the sauce is simmering start cooking the mushrooms. Heat half a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan, add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their juices. Remove from the pan then set aside until you are ready to use them.
Next, wipe the mushroom pan dry then half a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the spinach. Coko the spinach until it wilts. There is a lot of spinach here so you may need to do this in two batches. Once the spinach has wilted, drain it. Leave it to cool, then squeeze it until all the excess liquid is gone. Then chop the spinach.
Add the ricotta, Grana Padano, nutmeg, chopped fresh oregano, chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic cloves and salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix well. Add the chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture and mix well again.

Assemble The Lasagne

Spread some of the sauce all over the bottom of a casserole or baking dish. Add a layer of fresh pasta sheets. Spread half of the ricotta and spinach mixture over the lasagne sheets. Then spread half the mushrooms over the ricotta mixture. Drizzle a little tomato sauce over the mushrooms and ricotta mixture. Repeat for another layer.
Finish with a layer of lasagne sheets, and spread the remaining sauce on top. Top the layer of sauce with torn mozzarella and grated Grana Padano cheese.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 185°C (365°F). After 20 minutes remove the foil, return the dish to the oven and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and turning golden brown.
Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Cheese - I use full-fat and whole-milk cheeses for this recipe. You can use low-fat versions but you will sacrifice some of the taste.
Lasagne - I find that fresh egg lasagne sheets give teh best result here but you can use dried lasagne sheets if you prefer.
Casserole Dish - my dish measures 18 x 27 cm and 6cm deep (11 x 7 inches and was 2 and a half inches deep)
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.

Nutrition