Lasagna with pesto cream, ricotta, and spinach

Name: Lasagna with pesto cream, ricotta, and spinach
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Lasagne egg pasta 1.1 lbs; Whole milk 4 ¼ cups; Nutmeg 1 pinch; Salt 1 pinch; Butter 3.5 oz; Type 00 flour ¾ cup; Garlic 2 cloves; Coarse salt 1 pinch; Basil 2 ½ cups; Pecorino cheese to grate 1.1 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 7 ½ tbsp; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 2.5 oz; Pine nuts 2 tbsp; Cow's milk ricotta cheese 2 cups; Spinach 16 ½ cups; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Pine nuts 1 ½ tbsp; Fine salt 1 pinch; Smoked scamorza cheese 8.8 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 7 oz

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1134

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 1134
Carbohydrates g 93.2
of which sugars g 14.5
Protein g 42.1
Fats g 65.9
of which saturated fat g 28.41
Fiber g 5.3
Cholesterol mg 227
Sodium mg 1087

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Golden layers and a creamy, comforting bite put this pesto lasagna right at the center of family favorites—especially for home cooks searching for an easy, flavor-packed lasagna that’s both impressive and simple. Soft, cheesy goodness from smooth ricotta, vibrant spinach, and that DELICIOUS pesto cream give this vegetarian lasagna a warm, rich flavor that feels just right for gatherings, potlucks, or casual Sunday dinners. Families appreciate the good balance—every bite brings out something new, from the soft, mild cheese to that herby, slightly sweet note from the pesto. Visually, you get those nice, green flecks from spinach lasagna, creamy white from the ricotta, and just a pretty, stacked shape that makes people excited to DIG IN...usually there aren’t leftovers, but this dish is really nice even the next day (maybe cold, maybe reheated!). Those golden top edges, with fluffy lifts between the layers, usually get noticed first—plus, this dish always seems to look nice on the table.

Busy home cooks enjoy the way this easy lasagna recipe fits right into busy weeks, while still looking impressive for special occasions or just Saturday family meals. Works great year-round: turns into a summer lasagna with a fresh salad, or feels super cozy in colder months paired with garlic bread—either way, warm, moist layers make everyone happy. For extra family appeal, many add thin zucchini layers or a layer of spinach ricotta—easy to adapt to picky eaters or just change up for fun. One-pan style means less fuss at the table, so it’s a top choice for anyone who wants reliable, easy-going meal success. Fun for picky eaters, too, because the flavors hit that nice spot between traditional and new. For serving, a basic green salad or a little extra pesto sauce on top works great—just a solid comfort food win with every slice. That’s why this sheet pan lasagna is such a regular guest on family menus…these simple flavors with cozy textures are hard to resist, making it a sure thing in that weekly meal lineup.

Primary Keywords used: pesto lasagna, lasagna, vegetarian lasagna, spinach lasagna, easy lasagna recipe, summer lasagna, spinach ricotta, sheet pan lasagna
Secondary/Semantic: creamy, zucchini, soft, sweet, nice, great, moist, fluffy, simple, real, good, rich, fresh, comfort food

INGREDIENTS

1134

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 12x8 inch baking dish: Lasagne egg pasta 1.1 lbs (500 g)

for the béchamel sauce: Whole milk 4 ¼ cups (1 l); Nutmeg 1 pinch; Salt 1 pinch; Butter 3.5 oz (100 g); Type 00 flour ¾ cup (100 g)

for the Genoese pesto: Garlic 2 cloves; Coarse salt 1 pinch; Basil 2 ½ cups (50 g); Pecorino cheese 1.1 oz (30 g) - to grate; Extra virgin olive oil 7 ½ tbsp (100 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 2.5 oz (70 g); Pine nuts 2 tbsp (15 g)

for the ricotta and spinach filling: Cow's milk ricotta cheese 2 cups (500 g); Spinach 16 ½ cups (500 g); Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Pine nuts 1 ½ tbsp (10 g); Fine salt 1 pinch; Smoked scamorza cheese 8.8 oz (250 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 7 oz (200 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Lasagna with pesto cream, ricotta, and spinach

To prepare the lasagna with pesto cream, ricotta, and spinach, start with the Genoese pesto (Pesto alla genovese). After selecting the best basil leaves and washing and drying them very gently, place them in a blender with the pine nuts 1, then add the oil and the Parmesan cheese 2, and finally blend until you obtain the pesto cream 3.

Then move on to preparing the Béchamel sauce. Make a roux by pouring the flour into the melted butter 4, and after mixing well over medium heat until the base turns a hazelnut color, pour in the milk that has been set aside to warm and already seasoned with salt and grated nutmeg 5. Finally, continue cooking over low heat, stirring vigorously to prevent it from burning at the bottom, for another 5-6 minutes until the béchamel sauce thickens 6.

Rinse the spinach to remove soil residues 7 and then place them in a pan where you have browned the garlic with the oil 8, cooking over high heat for a few minutes, just enough to soften them slightly. Now that you have all the ingredients ready, you can proceed to assemble the lasagna. Grease a 12x8 inch rectangular baking dish with a little oil and then pour some béchamel sauce 9. This will create a base that will prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.

Add a spoonful of pesto 10 and spread it over the entire surface as you did with the béchamel sauce 11, and finally place a first layer of pasta 12 to completely cover the base of the dish.

On the pasta, add a bit of béchamel sauce 13 and after spreading it well over the sheet, add some more pesto 14, and in this case too, spread it evenly, just as you did before. Once you have obtained an even layer, add the slightly pre-cooked spinach 15.

Work the ricotta with a fork, trying almost to crumble it, and then pour the obtained flakes over the pasta 16, then add the grated Parmesan cheese 17 and adjust with salt and pepper 18.

Chop the smoked provola cheese 19 and sprinkle it over the lasagna 20, and start the process again, beginning with the pasta sheet 21

and add more béchamel sauce and pesto 22, then spinach, ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and the chopped smoked provola cheese 23. Continue in this way until you have 4 layers of lasagna, forming the various layers of pasta by changing the direction in which you place the sheet - first vertically, then horizontally, and so on 24.

On the last layer, finally add the pine nuts 25, and then cook in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 20 minutes (or in a fan oven at 320°F for 10 minutes) 26. If you want a bit of crispiness on the surface, let it cook for another 5 minutes in grill mode to get the lasagna with pesto cream, ricotta, and spinach with an irresistible crispiness!

Storage

The lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 1-2 days when covered with plastic wrap; they can also be frozen either cooked or uncooked, but in this case, make sure the ingredients have never been frozen before.