Description
This Spinach Artichoke Lasagna is a wholesome and flavorful vegetarian dish featuring layers of no-boil lasagna noodles, a creamy spinach-artichoke mixture, homemade tomato sauce with fresh basil, and melted fontina cheese. It is baked to a perfect golden brown and offers a healthy twist on classic lasagna, packed with fresh vegetables and rich textures that are even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Sauce
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Spinach Artichoke Mixture
- 2 cups (16 ounces) low fat cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 smallish red onion)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 cup jarred or defrosted frozen artichokes, drained, quartered if necessary
- 12 ounces baby spinach, preferably organic
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly & Topping
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 cups (5 ounces) shredded fontina cheese or low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella
- Garnish: sprinkling of additional chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drain excess juice from the diced tomatoes using a mesh sieve or fine colander. Transfer drained tomatoes to the food processor bowl. Add fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse about 10 times until the tomatoes reach a spreadable consistency. Set sauce aside in a bowl (approximately 2 cups).
- Blend Cottage Cheese: Rinse the food processor and pour half the cottage cheese (1 cup) into it. Blend for about 1 minute until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Leave the food processor bowl in place for later use.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chopped red onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in artichokes, then add spinach in batches, cooking and stirring frequently until fully wilted. Continue cooking for about 12 minutes until most moisture evaporates and spinach quantity significantly reduces.
- Process Spinach Artichoke Mixture: Transfer the cooked spinach and artichokes to the food processor and pulse 12-15 times until finely chopped but not puréed. Add this mixture to the bowl with blended cottage cheese. Top with the remaining cottage cheese and mix well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread ½ cup tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer three lasagna noodles on top, overlapping as needed. Spread half of the spinach mixture evenly over the noodles, then ½ cup tomato sauce, followed by ½ cup shredded cheese. Repeat with three noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and ½ cup shredded cheese. Skip tomato sauce in this middle layer. Top with remaining three noodles, spread the remaining tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake Lasagna: Cover the lasagna with parchment paper or foil (foil should not touch the cheese). Bake covered for 18 minutes. Remove cover, rotate pan 180 degrees, and bake uncovered for an additional 12 minutes until the top is spotty brown and bubbly.
- Finishing Touches: Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes to set. Garnish with additional chopped fresh basil before slicing and serving.
Notes
- This vegetarian lasagna is rich in fresh spinach and artichokes with simple homemade tomato sauce for a wholesome meal.
- Lasagna tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Recipe yields one 9-inch square lasagna, serving 8 to 9 people.
- Using no-boil noodles simplifies preparation without sacrificing texture.
- Feel free to substitute fontina cheese with mozzarella for a milder flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of lasagna)
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 758 mg
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 7.5 g
- Protein: 20.8 g
- Cholesterol: 38 mg
