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Spinach and Beef Lasagna

Spinach and beef lasagna with a homemade bechamel and tomato sauce baked to golden brown cheesy perfection.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Calories: 1921 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Lasagna Ingredients
  • 1 pound no-boil lasagna sheets
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
  • 4 ounces pancetta (diced)
  • 28 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil (divided in the instructions)
  • 16 ounces skim ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 10 ounces fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 yellow onion (chopped (1/3 cup))
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (removed from stem)
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil (roughly chopped + more for garnish)
  • 12 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese
Bechamel
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 cups whole milk (room temp)
  • Pinch grated or ground nutmeg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a dutch oven or large skillet, over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant then add in chopped spinach. Sauté until spinach begins to wilt, about 4 minutes. Remove with a spoon and set aside in a bowl.
  3. In the same dutch oven, turn heat up to medium/high, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the diced pancetta. Cook until it begins to crisp up about 4 minutes. Add in the ground beef, 1 tsp of kosher salt, 1/2 tsp of black pepper and cook until beef is browned and cooked through. Reserve 2 tbsp of the juice, drain the beef and set aside in a bowl. Mix in the 1/2 cup of basil into the spinach mixture.
  4. In the same dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the rest of the minced garlic, 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, and sauté for a minute. Add in the can of fire roasted tomatoes, 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, 1 tsp oregano. Mix all together, lower the heat and cover, to allow the flavors to meld while you make the bechamel sauce.
  5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 5 tbsp of butter. Once fully melted, slowly whisk in the flour constantly stirring so no lumps remain. Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously and grate some fresh nutmeg into the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the sauce doesn't burn. Taking a wooden spoon dip it in the sauce, run your finger on the spoon (careful it's hot) and if the sauce doesn't run together, then it's ready.
  6. Going back to the red sauce, using an immersion blender, smooth out the sauce. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Add in the bechamel sauce and stir to combine, it should now be a pink color. Turn heat off.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk 2 eggs and then add the ricotta cheese and mix until combined, set aside
Assembling Lasagna:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a rectangular baking dish, spoon a thick even layer of the tomato bechamel sauce onto the bottom of the dish (1/3 of the sauce). Then add a layer of lasagna sheets side by side. Using a spatula smooth half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, followed by half of the spinach mixture. Add another layer of pasta, followed by the beef, and then 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon another layer (1/3) of the tomato bechamel sauce, followed by another layer of pasta sheets. Smooth the rest of the ricotta over the pasta sheets and add the rest of the spinach over that. Add the final layer of pasta sheets, followed by the tomato bechamel, the rest of the mozzarella, and freshly grate parmesan over the top. I like to take a few pieces of butter and disperse them over the top so it gives you that golden brown top.
  2. Cover with foil and place in the oven. If your lasagna is full to the brim, you can grab a baking sheet, cover with foil, and place the dish on top of that for any spillover. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove foil and low broil for 10 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with a spatula.

Notes

  • Prep time is 10 minutes for chopping ingredients + 15 minutes for assembling lasagna after cooking components. Cook time is 25 minutes for spinach, beef, sauce; then 35-45 minutes for baking lasagna in the oven.
  • If you cannot find no boil lasagna sheets, you can cook lasagna sheets al dente and use those.
  • Ensure the foil isn't wrapped too tightly on the baking dish or the cheese will get stuck to it.

Nutrition Information

Calories 1921kcal (96%) Carbohydrates 137g (46%) Protein 93g (186%) Fat 111g (171%) Saturated Fat 45g (225%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 45g Trans Fat 3g Cholesterol 422mg (141%) Sodium 2927mg (122%) Potassium 1701mg (49%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 22g (44%) Vitamin A 9563IU (191%) Vitamin C 32mg (36%) Calcium 1155mg (116%) Iron 10mg (56%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1921

% Daily Value*

Calories 1921kcal 96%
Carbohydrates 137g 46%
Protein 93g 186%
Fat 111g 171%
Saturated Fat 45g 225%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 45g 225%
Trans Fat 3g 150%
Cholesterol 422mg 141%
Sodium 2927mg 122%
Potassium 1701mg 36%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 22g 44%
Vitamin A 9563IU 191%
Vitamin C 32mg 36%
Calcium 1155mg 116%
Iron 10mg 56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.