Best 5 Make Ahead Creamy Spinach Lasagna Recipes

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If you're looking for a dish that combines flavor, convenience, and elegance, look no further than "make ahead creamy spinach lasagna." This delectable dish is not only a culinary delight, but it's also a time-saver, making it perfect for busy individuals and families. In this comprehensive guide, we'll take you through the steps of creating this mouthwatering lasagna, from gathering the essential ingredients to assembling and baking it to perfection. Along the way, we'll provide tips and tricks to ensure that your lasagna is not only delicious but also visually stunning. So, gather your apron and prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will leave your taste buds wanting more.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

CREAMY SPINACH LASAGNA



Creamy Spinach Lasagna image

This tasty vegetarian lasagna is made special with spinach and Alfredo sauce.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 1h15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

12 uncooked lasagna noodles (12 oz)
2 boxes (9 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (12 oz)
1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
  • Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the Italian cheese.
  • To assemble, place 4 cooked noodles in bottom of baking dish. Top with one-third of the Alfredo sauce (about 1/2 cup) and half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 4 noodles, Alfredo sauce and 1 1/2 cups Italian cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish tightly with foil, sprayed side down.
  • Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly around edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 500, Carbohydrate 41 g, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 3 g, Protein 28 g, SaturatedFat 13 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1030 mg

MAKE-AHEAD CREAMY SPINACH LASAGNA



Make-Ahead Creamy Spinach Lasagna image

Whether you have a dinner party on the horizon or just need to plan out a week's worth of meals, this creamy, veggie-filled lasagna deserves a spot in your freezer. Its flavor is downright impressive, but only you need to know how simple it is to prepare!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 1h45m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 cups Progresso™ vegetable broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 packages (8 oz each) sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bags (5 oz each) baby spinach
1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (3 oz)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 oven-ready no-boil lasagna noodles

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 400°F. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour with whisk; cook and stir 2 minutes. Slowly beat in broth, whipping cream, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the nutmeg with whisk. Increase heat to medium-high; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat.
  • In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and any liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually add spinach, stirring constantly, and cook until wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 1/4 cups of the cream sauce. Reserve remaining sauce.
  • In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
  • To assemble: Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 3/4 cup of the sauce into bottom of baking dish. Top with 3 of the lasagna noodles in single layer. Evenly top with 1 cup of the cheese filling and 1 1/3 cups of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers twice, starting with noodles and ending with spinach mixture. For final layer, top with 3 noodles; pour remaining 3/4 cup sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
  • To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to be able to lift assembled lasagna out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce and spinach mixture 30 to 40 minutes before making cheese filling and assembling lasagna. Stir 2 1/4 cups cream sauce into spinach mixture. Assemble lasagna in dish as directed; cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked lasagna about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen lasagna to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 400°F. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through (165°F in center), bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 650, Carbohydrate 38 g, Cholesterol 150 mg, Fat 6, Fiber 3 g, Protein 30 g, SaturatedFat 25 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1030 mg, Sugar 5 g, TransFat 1 1/2 g

CREAMY SPINACH AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA



Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna image

This is sure to become a family favorite. Best of all, it's freezer-friendly and can also be made ahead of time!

Provided by Chungah Rhee

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

9 lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) package whole milk ricotta
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To make the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano and nutmeg until fragrant, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Spread 1 cup mushroom sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the spinach, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with a second layer. Top with remaining noodles, mushroom sauce and cheeses.* Place into oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbling. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until top is browned in spots. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve, garnished with parsley, if desired.

SIMPLE SPINACH LASAGNA



Simple Spinach Lasagna image

So yummy! You can also substitute ground turkey or another veggie for the spinach.

Provided by LSPACE

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 1h40m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
½ onion, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 ½ cups water
2 cups non-fat cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) package part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
8 ounces lasagna noodles

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a large pot over medium heat saute spinach, onion, oregano, basil and garlic in the olive oil. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg.
  • Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place 4 uncooked noodles on top of sauce and top with layer of sauce. Add 4 more noodles and layer with 1/2 sauce and 1/2 cheese mixture, noodles and repeat until all is layered, finishing with sauce.
  • Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 55 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 361.1 calories, Carbohydrate 41.6 g, Cholesterol 48.1 mg, Fat 11.8 g, Fiber 6.2 g, Protein 23.4 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 1047.6 mg, Sugar 12.7 g

MAKE-AHEAD LASAGNA



Make-Ahead Lasagna image

This is an old standby when time's limited and guests are expected for dinner. It's a combination of several easy lasagna recipes I have tried over the years. -Mary Grimm, Williamsburg, Iowa

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h30m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound ground beef
1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
2 cups marinara sauce
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 carton (15 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 no-cook lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef and sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in marinara and pizza sauces. In a bowl, mix eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper., Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 4 noodles, half of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup meat sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Remove lasagna from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, covered, 45 minutes. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 462 calories, Fat 27g fat (12g saturated fat), Cholesterol 117mg cholesterol, Sodium 931mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 30g protein.

Tips for Making Creamy Spinach Lasagna:

  • Use fresh spinach: Fresh spinach has a more vibrant flavor and texture than frozen spinach. If you're using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw and squeeze out all the excess water before using.
  • Don't overcook the spinach: Overcooked spinach will be mushy and lose its color. Cook it just until it is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Use a variety of cheeses: A combination of cheeses, such as ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, will give your lasagna a rich and flavorful filling.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients: You can add other vegetables to your lasagna, such as mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers. You can also change the type of pasta you use, such as using whole wheat lasagna noodles or gluten-free lasagna noodles.
  • Make sure your lasagna is cooked through: The center of the lasagna should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you remove it from the oven.

Conclusion:

Creamy spinach lasagna is a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight meal. With its creamy spinach filling and layers of cheese, it's sure to be a hit with everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give this creamy spinach lasagna recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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