I didn't originally set out trying to make red, white, and green lasagna... I really just crave lasagna fairly regularly! When you've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off and don't stop moving enough to actually eat, there is nothing better than cheese and spinach and tomatoes! It's my favorite of favorite comfort foods. And nothing quite hits the spot as well as homemade, fresh out of the oven spinach lasagna. It's a little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit spicy if you toss some peppers into it, and very ooey gooey covered in cheese!
This lasagna recipe did make for quite the festive spread, though. And I am a fan of making food for the occasion. It's barely fall and still a million degrees in Wisconsin, but the nights are starting to get chilly and the holiday spirit is almost in the air. So, to kick off the holiday season, I have decided to make tomato and spinach lasagna! This recipe combines tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with the traditional mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta.
Gallery
Variations of Spinach Lasagna
I absolutely love to make lasagna and pasta dishes. These days it's often reserved for special occasions. But every now and then I'll make something decadent, just because!
This red, white, and green lasagna is sure to impress around the holidays or whenever it tickles your fancy! It's a quick and easy recipe that doesn't require buying or making a traditional sauce. Rather, it relies on fresh tomatoes, spinach, shallots, garlic, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.
I almost always make my own lasagna noodles. Other pastas I might grab something off of the shelf in a pinch. But lasagna is more of a process and I enjoy making the noodles from scratch! They're a lot easier to make than they look, have a much richer taste, and only take about a half hour. Plus, they cook in a minute or two, instead of 15! It does require semolina flour and a pasta machine helps, but you can use a rolling pin.
Otherwise, prepare according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling a pot of water, cooking for 6-10 minutes, or until barely al dente. Drain and set aside.The pasta will cook another hour in the oven, so make sure not to overcook them during this stage!
Prepare Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a large baking baking dish with olive oil and set aside.Mine is 13x9 inches, but any larger-sized baking dish will do. You can always cut the lasagna sheets to different sizes.
Finely dice, chop, and mince the tomatoes, spinach, shallots, and garlic.I prefer a finer cut to ensure that you get every flavor in every bite. It also more closely resembles a traditional sauce with a finer dice. But you can more coarsely chop them if you like it chunkier!I also de-stemmed the spinach before chopping because the stems tend to get stuck in the back of your throat when you eat them. But you can easily more finely chop these if you want to include them. Otherwise, I usually puree them in hummus or salsa or even just pet food!
Toss the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic in a bowl.
Grate the ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. If you're using a fresh mozzarella that has a higher moisture content, it won't grate. Combine in a mixing bowl.Make sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and mozzarella. This will go on top of the final layer.
Assemble Lasagna
Arrange noodles in the bottom of the baking dish. They should slightly overlap to keep the noodles from separating.
Add 1/3 of the tomato mixture and spinach to the lasagna noodles.
Coat with 1/3 of the Parmesan and ricotta cheese mixture, followed by 1/3 of the mozzarella.
Repeat layering noodles, tomato mixture, cheese mixture, and mozzarella.
Top off with a final layer of noodles and the reserve amount of mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. The lasagna should be thoroughly heated throughout and the cheese on top will begin to brown. Let cool slightly and cut into 2-inch squares. Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
Lasagna is best served immediately. However, if you have leftovers, lasagna will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and reheat in a baking dish for 15 minutes, or until hot.
It’s traditional to add 2 teaspoons parsley and basil to the tomatoes. I don’t do this because I’m allergic to them, but you can easily add add them in!
I also find that the salt in the cheese blend is more than enough. You can always add salt and pepper in with the tomato mixture or on top right before cooking. Just be wary about adding too much because salt is an essential part of the cheese-making process and it can easily become overwhelming. Especially when we're all used to salting food again at the table!
Leave a Reply