The 9×13 Life: Easy Lasagna That Tastes So Gourmet

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.

9x13 life bcp

This is the type of easy 9×13 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.

9x13 lasagna ingredients

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.

oven ready lasagna noodles

Assemble the lasagna:

one layer of lasagna noodles over marinara sauce

Place about ½ cup of marinara sauce in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Top with 4 lasagna pieces.

spinach/cheese mixture over the first layer of lasagna noodles

Spread a layer of the spinach/cheese mixture.

spooning marinara sauce over the second layer of lasagna noodles

Repeat with 2 more layers lasagna, sauce,

spinach/cheese mixture over the second layer of lasagna noodles

and spinach/cheese mixture.

marinara sauce over the top layer of lasagna noodles

End with a layer of pasta, then top with marinara sauce

sprinkling muenster cheese over the top layer of lasagna noodles

and sprinkle with muenster cheese.

pouring some water into each corner of the pan of lasagna

Pour about ¾ cup water,

pouring some water into each corner of the pan of lasagna

a little into each corner of the pan.

foil sprayed with cooking spray

Spray a piece of heavy duty foil with cooking spray. Cover the pan, greased side down.

placing a slice of lasagna onto a plate

Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing

Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 1 (13.25 oz.) box oven ready lasagna noodles
  • 2 lb. bag chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1 jar marinara sauce of your choice
  • 1 (16 oz.) container small curd cottage cheese
  • 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ cups muenster cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350℉.
  • 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.

Notes

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.
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Renee Muller

Renee is a sought-after food and lifestyle stylist and the author of two cookbooks. With dishes and linens as her paint palette, it’s her artistry that weaves a beautiful story in the photos on this site.

27 responses to “The 9×13 Life: Easy Lasagna That Tastes So Gourmet”

  1. Devorah Avatar
    Devorah

    Can this be made with regular lasagne noodles (cooked), and if yes does the bake time get reduced?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      For sure! and yes, reduce the cooking time by 1/3

  2. Yerushalmit Avatar
    Yerushalmit

    What size jar of marinara sauce should I use?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      The standard size. I believe it’s 26 oz.

  3. Esti Avatar
    Esti

    Looks delicious! Can I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      Sure! Don’t see why not

  4. m mey Avatar
    m mey

    is there any way to use regular lasagna noodles (not oven ready) without cooking it?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      Not that I know of, but I sure do wish there was!

    2. Yerushalmit Avatar
      Yerushalmit

      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!!

    3. Mindy Avatar
      Mindy

      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.

  5. Tova Avatar
    Tova

    Can I use mozzarella cheese only? (Don’t have shredded Muenster) will it be a major taste change?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      Sure you can! any cheese works.

  6. AmyT Avatar
    AmyT

    Yum!! I love the idea of adding Muenster. I will definitely make this, with fresh sauteed spinach which I LOVE

  7. lily Avatar
    lily

    can this be made withoit spinach? how could we replace?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      Simply skip. No need to replace

  8. Aliza Lapa Avatar
    Aliza Lapa

    there is no frozen spinach to be found. Can frozen kale work?

  9. Easy Dinners Only Avatar
    Easy Dinners Only

    I would love to see such a recipe for meat lasagna!! Pretty please??

  10. etty Avatar
    etty

    5 stars
    excellent recipe, came out best lasagna I’ve ever made. my kids loved it BH, thank you!

  11. Sim Avatar
    Sim

    How much longer do you cook from frozen?

    1. Renee Muller Avatar
      Renee Muller

      Not quite sure, since it’s been a while that I froze it. But I would start with an additional 30 min and check. You want to make sure that it’s soft and that the liquids are absorbed evenly. I would say to uncover the edges so that the steam can escape.

  12. Chava Avatar
    Chava

    I have to ask since Renee posted this: cottage cheese or ricotta in lasagna? I prefer ricotta since it tastes more authentic to me but my family likes cottage cheese.

  13. Leora h Avatar
    Leora h

    5 stars
    I made this with and without spinach. We loved the lasagna without spinach but unfortunately I thought I would love it either way, but the texture and taste was not our thing. And tips for this? Or maybe it just wasn’t my thing even though I thought it would be.

  14. lisa kram Avatar
    lisa kram

    If i am freezing this, do i add the water to the recipe before i freeze it?

  15. Rivkah Avatar
    Rivkah

    4 stars
    My lasagna came out too watery somehow, so I baked it for an additional 30 minutes uncovered after slicing it. That helped remove the excess water.

    1. Rivkah Avatar
      Rivkah

      5 stars
      I made a mistake last time! I must not have used enough layers of noodles because this time it wasn’t watery.

  16. Esty Avatar
    Esty

    5 stars
    This is not normally good! I made this for a chanukah party and got endless compliments.

  17. Hadassa Taylor Avatar
    Hadassa Taylor

    5 stars
    Thank you for this amazing recipe! I left out the spinach so the littles would eat it and everyone enjoyed. The best (and easiest) lasagna recipe ! Thank you!

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