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Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna (Italian Recipe with Béchamel Sauce)
Spinach and ricotta lasagna is a classic Italian baked pasta dish, made with delicate layers of fresh pasta, a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, and a smooth béchamel sauce that binds everything together.This traditional vegetarian lasagna is rich yet light, with a perfectly balanced flavor and an irresistibly creamy texture. Unlike meat-based lasagna, this version highlights the freshness of spinach and the mild sweetness of ricotta, making it a refined and comforting Italian recipe.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 500 g spinach - 1.1 pound, fresh or frozen
- 500 g ricotta - 1.1 pound
- 200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano - about 2 cups
- nutmeg - to taste
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
For the Lasagna Layers
- 12 sheets Lasagna
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 500 ml whole milk - about 2 cups
- 50 g unsalted butter - 1.8 oz
- 50 g all-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour - 1.8 oz
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- nutmeg - to taste
Instructions
Make the Bechamel Sauce
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour with the help of a flour sieve: in this way you are sure that there are no lumps. Mix quickly with a whisk, until the mixture is smooth. The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color.
- Heat the milk, without bringing to a boil. Pour the milk slowly over the roux, while stirring with a whisk. Season with salt and grated nutmeg to taste.
- Cook for about 10-15 minutes, mixing constantly, until you have a fairly thick consistency. The sauce is ready when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.
Make the Filling
- Boil the spinach in a pot with very little salted water for a few minutes, until tender. If you are using frozen spinach, when water start boiling, cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain and let them cool, then squeeze to remove excess water, finally chop with a hand immersion blender.
- In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach with the ricotta, half of the grated Parmigiano, a pinch of fine salt, freshly grated black pepper and nutmeg to taste. Mix all the ingredients until you get a creamy mixture.
Make the Layers
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of béchamel on the bottom of a baking pan, then lay down the first layer of lasagna sheets and cover them with the spinach and ricotta filling.
- Cover with some bèchamel and finish with 2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano.
- Keep making the layers as described above, till you finish all the ingredients.
- End the last layer with plenty of Parmigiano cheese to create a crispy crust during cooking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes. Let spinach and ricotta lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 644kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 35gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 856mgPotassium: 848mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 8793IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 770mgIron: 4mg
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