Beef and Spinach Lasagna

Slice of beef spinach lasagna with a fork and basil garnish on a plate.

This veggie-loaded meat lasagna is cheesy, flavorful, and oh-so-comforting, with an entire container of fresh spinach to boot! Make a tray for entertaining, family meals, or dinner for new parents. It's perfect for making in advance and freezes beautifully.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings pieces

Calories 485kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

9x13 baking dish

Ingredients

8 ounce lasagna noodles need 11 to 12
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
6 cloves garlic minced or pressed, divided
1 cup diced onion from about ½ large onion
1 teaspoon salt divided
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano
5 ounces baby spinach
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil divided
24 ounces marinara sauce can use up to 30 ounces; I use Rao's brand
16 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 8 ounces
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or pre-shredded, about 2 ounces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Spray or grease a 9x13 (3 quart) baking dish. If you have a lasagna pan (slightly bigger than 9x13), use that and prepare a few extra noodles.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles in the water for 4 to 5 minutes until not quite al dente but still pliable. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Then, working quickly, remove the noodles from the colander and lay them flat on a plate or tray so that they retain their shape and don't get bent. They shouldn't stick to each other since they will have a little water on them from being rinsed. However, you can brush them with a very light coating of oil if you are worried about them sticking.
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and using a spoon to break up large pieces of beef until it starts to brown. Add 3 cloves of the garlic, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and all of the oregano (½ teaspoon). Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes until the beef is browned.
Stir in the spinach and 2 tablespoons of the chopped basil. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach starts to wilt. Then, mix in the marinara sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the spinach has fully wilted. Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, the rest of the salt (¼ teaspoon), the rest of the black pepper (½ teaspoon), and the remaining 3 cloves of minced garlic. Stir until well-combined.
Layer the lasagna:
- Start with ½ cup of the beef and spinach mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Spread it out so it very lightly covers the dish.
- Layer 3 and ½ lasagna noodles on top. A 9x13 dish is typically only wide enough to accommodate 3 and ½, but if you have a lasagna pan, you can use 4.
- Ladle 1 and ¼ cup of the beef and spinach mixture on top of the noodles.
- Spoon out dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture, totaling about half of it (roughly 1 cup), and evenly distribute them on top.
- Sprinkle a little less than half (about ¾ cup) of the shredded mozzarella on top).
- Repeat the process with another layer of 3 and ½ noodles, 1 and ¼ cup beef and spinach mixture, the remaining half of the ricotta, and another ¾ cup of mozzarella.
- Add one final layer of noodles, followed by the small remaining amount of the beef and spinach mixture. Spread it out so it lightly covers the noodles.
Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the cheese and filling are bubbling around the sides.
Remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil. Sprinkle the lasagna with the remaining ½ cup of shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese.
Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes uncovered until the cheese is melted and lightly browned to your liking.
Remove the lasagna from the oven and garnish with the remaining basil.
Let the lasagna stand and cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Slice into 8 or up to 12 pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!

Notes

Make ahead: Assemble the entire lasagna without baking it, cover with foil, and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours until you want to bake it. Follow the baking instructions as written (45 to 50 minutes covered followed by 5 to 10 more minutes uncovered after adding the cheese garnish). You can also bake the lasagna, cover with foil, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Freezing: You can freeze whole lasagnas either unbaked or baked (and cooled completely). Remember to use a freezer-safe dish if you want to do it this way! Wrap the entire lasagna, including the pan, in a layer or two of plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight for best results. Remove the plastic wrap then recover with foil. Bake unbaked lasagnas for 45 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F and baked lasagnas for 30 to 40 minutes until warmed through. If you forget to thaw the lasagna and want to bake from frozen, add 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time.
Individual portions: Baked pieces of lasagna also freeze well. Let them cool completely then wrap each one in plastic wrap followed by foil. Remove all wrappings before reheating. Reheat in a covered baking dish at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes from thawed and 30 to 40 minutes from frozen.

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