Description
This Spinach Artichoke Lasagna is a healthy and delicious vegetarian dish featuring layers of no-boil lasagna noodles, smooth cottage cheese mixed with sautéed spinach and artichokes, and a simple yet flavorful homemade tomato sauce. Topped with shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, this hearty lasagna is perfect for family dinners and tastes 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
Cottage Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups (16 ounces) low fat cottage cheese
Vegetable Filling
- 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
Lasagna Assembly
- 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 the tomato sauce: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drain the canned diced tomatoes in a fine colander to remove excess juice. Transfer the drained tomatoes to a food processor, add basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse about 10 times until the sauce reaches a spreadable consistency. Pour into a bowl and set aside (you should have about 2 cups).
- Smooth the cottage cheese: Rinse out the food processor, then add half of the cottage cheese (1 cup) and blend for about 1 minute until smooth. Transfer this to a large mixing bowl. Leave the processor bowl in place for later use.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt, cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook spinach and artichokes: Add artichokes to the skillet, then add a few large handfuls of spinach and stir frequently to wilt it. Repeat with remaining spinach. Continue cooking, stirring often, for about 12 minutes until spinach volume is greatly reduced and little moisture remains.
- Combine spinach-artichoke mixture: Transfer the cooked spinach and artichokes to the food processor and pulse 12-15 times until finely chopped (not pureed). Add this mixture to the bowl with whipped cottage cheese. Top with remaining cottage cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the lasagna: Spread ½ cup of tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer three lasagna noodles on top, overlapping slightly. Spread half of the spinach mixture over the noodles, then ½ cup tomato sauce and sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese.
- Add middle layer: Place three more noodles on top, spread the remaining spinach mixture evenly, then sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese. Skip adding tomato sauce on this layer.
- Top layer: Layer the last three noodles, spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake the lasagna: Cover with parchment paper or foil (not touching cheese). Bake for 18 minutes, then remove cover, rotate pan 180 degrees, and bake another 12 minutes until the top is spottily browned.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chopped fresh basil before slicing and serving.
Notes
- This healthy vegetarian lasagna uses fresh spinach, jarred artichokes, and a simple homemade tomato sauce for vibrant flavors.
- For best results, prepare the lasagna a day ahead; flavors deepen and it tastes even better the next day.
- Recipe yields one 9-inch square lasagna, serving 8 to 9 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 758 mg
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 7.5 g
- Protein: 20.8 g
- Cholesterol: 38.1 mg
