Make this lasagna during the 9 days. Or to enjoy during a long, cozy winter night. Or keep it in the freezer to pull out for those nights when dinner just isn’t going to happen.
This is the type of easy 9 x 13 dinner that is perfect now during the 9 days and around the year too. We love to prepare it on a long winter motzei Shabbos or send it over to a new neighbor who just moved in. This lasagna can be frozen raw (assembled) or parbaked. When freezing, do not defrost. Rather bake directly from the freezer, just allow for longer baking time.
Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 (13.25 ounce) box oven ready lasagna noodles
- 2 pounds bag of chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 jar marinara sauce of your choice
- 1 (16 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups muenster cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
- Squeeze out as much water as you can from the defrosted spinach. In a bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, eggs, garlic, and mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
- Assemble the lasagna: Place about ½ cup of marinara sauce in a 9- x 13-inch pan. Top with 4 lasagna pieces. You might need to break some of the pasta corners a bit, as shown in the photos. Spread a layer of the spinach/cheese mixture.
- Repeat with 2 more layers lasagna, sauce, and spinach/cheese mixture. End with a layer of pasta, then top with marinara sauce and sprinkle with muenster cheese.
- Pour about ¾ cup water, a little into each corner of the pan.
- Spray a piece of heavy duty foil with cooking spray. Cover the pan, greased side down.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing.
Can this be made with regular lasagne noodles (cooked), and if yes does the bake time get reduced?
For sure! and yes, reduce the cooking time by 1/3
What size jar of marinara sauce should I use?
The standard size. I believe it’s 26 oz.
Looks delicious! Can I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese?
Sure! Don’t see why not
is there any way to use regular lasagna noodles (not oven ready) without cooking it?
Not that I know of, but I sure do wish there was!
I’ve done it when there still weren’t oven ready noodles here in Israel. You may have to add more water, and more baking time.
Good luck!
Making this recipe today- can’t wait to serve it!!
For sure! I always use raw, regular noodles. The oven ready are more expensive. I add 1/2 – 3/4 cup water to a 9×13 (gently at the edges, as in the recipe), 1/4 – 1/3 c water to a long loaf pan. Depends on how many layers and how saucy your lasagna is. I bake it about 1.5 hours. You can check it an hour in and see if it needs a drop more water. My friend uses milk, which gives it an even richer taste she says.
Can I use mozzarella cheese only? (Don’t have shredded Muenster) will it be a major taste change?
Sure you can! any cheese works.
Yum!! I love the idea of adding Muenster. I will definitely make this, with fresh sauteed spinach which I LOVE
can this be made withoit spinach? how could we replace?
there is no frozen spinach to be found. Can frozen kale work?
I would love to see such a recipe for meat lasagna!! Pretty please??