This vegetarian spinach and ricotta lasagne is a great favourite of mine. It isn’t really too time consuming but I like to take my time over it because it’s a therapeutic pasta dish to make.
This lasagne ALWAYS works – unlike with meat lasagne where your sauce might be too runny, or your meat too dry. The making of the spinach and tomato part is too easy to worry about, and the ‘sauce’ part – the ricotta mix – is 100 times easier than the traditional bechamel.
It uses those wonderful ingredients, spinach, ricotta and a hefty dose of nutmeg, that always work together and make for an incredibly comforting meal (and in fact, if you love this you’ll also love Spinach and Ricotta Pasta and Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni).
Why This Lasagne Works
This recipe has all the comfort of a classic lasagne, without the faff of a bechamel. The ricotta sauce sets perfectly on top, the spinach mixture is easy to pull together and the nutmeg brings everything to life. It’s rich and creamy but somehow still light, and it works every single time!
The Ingredients
- Onion – use a large white or yellow onion. Red or salad onions won’t work here.
- Spinach – 500g might seem like a lot of fresh spinach (and when it’s in your fridge, it will certainly feel that way!) But trust me, this is the perfect amount of spinach for this lasagne when it’s wilted down.
- Nutmeg – ground nutmeg works great here. If you have whole nutmeg, grate a teaspoonful.
- Creme fraiche – adds a creamy element when mixed with the ricotta.
- Ricotta – the star ingredient! I often get comments asking if this can be swapped for mascarpone. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t advise that. The two cheeses have very different textures and mascarpone wouldn’t work here.
- Egg – the egg helps to bind the ricotta sauce and enables it to set a little on top.
- Lasagne sheets – I always recommend using fresh lasagne sheets for this lasagne – and many of my vegetarian lasagnes. The reason is simple – the cooking time doesn’t need to be as long, so fresh lasagne sheets with their shorter cooking time work perfectly. You could use dried lasagne sheets, but you’ll need to cook it for 15 more minutes. Cover the top with tin foil if you choose to do this.
- Cherry tomatoes – add a nice burst of freshness and sweetness throughout the lasagne. You could also use plum tomatoes.
- Parmigiano reggiano – or parmesan, if you don’t need to make this vegetarian. Any hard cheese will do.
Layering Tips
- Drain the spinach well after cooking so your lasagne layers stay creamy, not watery.
- Always finish with a full layer of ricotta on top, it bakes into a golden crust that’s irresistible.
- If you’re using dried lasagne sheets, add 100 ml of extra creme fraiche to keep it saucy.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes (or a little longer if you like a darker top).
More lasagne recipes:
- Turkey and Ham Lasagne
- The Ultimate Beef Lasagne
- Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagne
- Asparagus, Pea and Pesto Lasagne
- Vegetarian Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
FAQs
Yes — defrost and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before cooking. You’ll need about 250g frozen spinach to replace 500g fresh.
Definitely. Assemble it, cover with foil, and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
Yes — freeze in individual portions for up to three months. Defrost fully before reheating.
Vegetarian Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion large
- 500 grams spinach fresh
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
- 300 ml creme fraiche
- 500 grams ricotta
- 1 egg
- 200 grams lasagne sheets fresh
- 250 grams cherry tomatoes
- 20 grams parmigiano reggiano
Instructions
- Chop the onion and add to a saucepan with the olive oil. Saute over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the spinach (you’ll need to do this bit by bit!) and stir until it has all wilted. Stir in the nutmeg, and season. Leave to sit in the saucepan, off the heat.
- Put the creme fraiche, ricotta and egg into a large bowl and beat until well combined. Seson with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Half the cherry tomatoes.
- Drain any excess liquid from the spinach, and you can start layering your lasagne.
- In a large ovenproof dish, layer your ingredients. Half the spinach, half the tomato, one third of the lasagne sheets, half the ricotta mix, one third of the lasagne sheets, the remaining spinach, the remaining tomato, the remaining lasagne sheets, the remaining ricotta mix. Make sure you top with the ricotta!
- Top with grated parmigiano reggiano and bake in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
Variations & Add-Ins
- Add roasted vegetables: Layer in roasted courgettes or peppers for extra texture.
- Make it extra cheesy: Add mozzarella between layers for extra gooeyness.
- Add herbs: Stir chopped basil or parsley into the spinach mix for a fresh note.
- Lighter version: Use low-fat ricotta and half-fat creme fraiche — still delicious.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to a day in advance, cover and chill. Bake when ready to eat.
Storage & Leftovers
This lasagne keeps really well.- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until piping hot.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven until hot all the way through.
- Meal prep tip: Bake in individual ramekins for single-serve portions — great for weekday lunches.
This lasagne was creamy and delicious. It had the perfect balance of spinach and ricotta. Yum!
Comfort food to the max! Oh my it was so good! Thank you for this yummy recipe!
This was total comfort food. The perfect vegetarian lasagna.
The creamy ricotta and spinach filling was a nice change from traditional meat lasagne. I highly recommend trying this recipe.
Loving the addition of spinach to this wonderful lasagne. Thanks for sharing!