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Super Fast Spinach, Pesto and Cheese Lasagna

A quick layered lasagna with ricotta, spinach tossed in pesto, and melted fontina for an easy weeknight main.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups ricotta cheese skim or low fat are fine
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • 20 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry (two 10-ounce packages)
  • 7 ounces prepared pesto one 7-ounce container
  • 4 cups chunky pasta sauce bottled, divided
  • 12 whole lasagna noodles cooked
  • 2 cups fontina cheese, grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and shredded Parmesan; season with salt and pepper and stir in the egg until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the thawed, well-drained chopped spinach with the prepared pesto until evenly combined.
  • Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray and spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce over the bottom.
  • Arrange 3 cooked lasagna noodles side-by-side over the sauce. Spread about 1¼ cups of the ricotta mixture in a thin layer over the noodles, then drop one-third of the spinach-pesto mixture over the cheese in spoonfuls.
  • Repeat the layers two more times: sauce, 3 noodles, ~1¼ cups ricotta mixture, and one-third of the spinach mixture each time.
  • Top with the remaining 3 noodles and spread the remaining 1 cup of sauce over the top layer.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, sprinkle the grated fontina evenly over the lasagna, and bake uncovered until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more.
  • Let the lasagna stand about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • 9x13-inch glass baking dish
  • nonstick spray
  • Spoon
  • Foil

Notes

  • The original recipe suggests no‑boil lasagna noodles for faster prep.
  • If using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw and squeeze out excess liquid.
  • You can use skim or low-fat ricotta if desired.
  • Use a 9x13-inch baking dish for the layers to fit properly.