Quick Boil-Free Spinach Lasagna

Quick Boil-Free Spinach Lasagna

Baked lasagna--everyone loves it. But it sure takes a long time to assemble and bake. And the first step of boiling the noodles and trying to transfer them to the pan unbroken is a pain. So here's an easy, quick recipe that comes from an article in Vegetarian Times, March 1997, p. 44-51. Check it out; it includes variations of Eggplant-potato-garlic, Southwestern, Spinach-ricotta-olives, and vegetable marinara sauce.

26-oz jar low-fat marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
1 cup water or vegetable broth
16 uncooked lasagna noodles
15-oz carton nonfat ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
3 tsp. dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 10-oz pkgs. frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry (about 4 cups)
12-oz pkg grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil bottom and sides of 9 x 14 x 2 inch baking dish.

In medium bowl, mix marinara sauce with water or broth. Spoon just enough sauce into dish, tilting sides, to cover bottom.

Using small spatula, spread four uncooked noodles with one-third of the ricotta. Lay noodles lengthwise, side by side, ends even, in center of dish. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. basil. Top with pepper.

Using forks, separate and loosen spinach. Top noodle-ricotta layer with one-third of the spinach. Top spanach with one-fourth of the sauce. Top sauce with one-fourth of the mazzarella.

Repeat with two more layers of noodle-ricotta, basil, pepper, spinach, sauce, and cheese. Spread remaining sauce completely to edges, being sure to cover all noodles completely, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Lightly oil 16-inch length of aluminum foil. Attach foil, oiled side down, to ends of pan, tenting foil above lasagna surface. Crimp foil around all edges of pan to seal.

Bake covered for 45 minutes. Using tongs, remove aluminum foil and discard. Using bulb baster or spoon, baste top of lasagna with sauce from both ends. Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let rest 15 minutes. Slice into 10 equal pieces using sharp serrated knife. Makes 10 servings.

Per Serving: 330 cal.; 26G prot.; 9G total fat (5G sat. fat); 44G carb.; 24MG chol., 611MG sod.; 6G fiber. Lacto


For more recipes from the New Mexico Tech Library staff, see our Potluck Cookbook.
This recipe is brought to you by...
Betty Reynolds
New Mexico Tech Library
April 23, 1997