Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Handmade Pasta Dough
- 400 g type 00 flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 ml olive oil
Savory Tomato Sauce
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
- kosher salt
Rich Béchamel Sauce
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 750 ml whole milk, warmed
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Spinach & Ricotta Filling
- 500 g whole milk ricotta cheese
- 250 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed completely dry
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 large egg
Cheesy Topping
- 300 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 733 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1042 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 214 mg
- Potassium
- 879 mg
- Calcium
- 713 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 99 mg
- Phosphorus
- 599 mg
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 528 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 128 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.74 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 91 mcg
- Water
- 230 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Mound the flour on a work surface, make a well in the center, and add the eggs and olive oil. Knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet with the onions and garlic. Add salt to taste. Simmer gently to thicken the sauce slightly. Stir in the torn basil right at the end and remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, creating a blonde roux.
Gradually whisk the warm milk into the roux to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring constantly, until the béchamel thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and ground nutmeg. Set aside with a piece of plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, thoroughly squeezed dry spinach, grated parmesan, egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
Divide the rested pasta dough into quarters. Using a pasta machine or heavy rolling pin, roll each quarter into thin sheets, about 1.5mm thick. Cut into rectangles to fit your 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the fresh pasta sheets for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer them using a slotted spoon or spider to an ice bath. Pat dry on clean kitchen towels.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce and béchamel on the bottom of the 9x13 inch baking dish. Add a layer of pasta sheets. Spread one third of the ricotta mixture, a ladle of tomato sauce, a ladle of béchamel, and a handful of mozzarella. Repeat to create three full interior layers, topping the final layer of pasta purely with remaining béchamel, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest uncovered for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This prevents the layers from sliding apart.
Chef's Notes
- To make this recipe more approachable for a weeknight, use store-bought fresh pasta sheets or high-quality dried no-boil lasagna noodles alongside jarred marinara.
- The secret to a structurally sound lasagna is the ratio of sauce to pasta. Do not drown the layers; aim for thin, even coats of béchamel and tomato sauce.
- For the ultimate vegan option: use a cashew or tofu ricotta, omit the egg, use a flour-and-water dough, swap butter for olive oil in the béchamel, and use your favorite melting vegan cheeses.
- When blanching pasta sheets, adding a dash of oil to the boiling water can help prevent the sheets from sticking together before they hit the ice bath.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Cover tightly with foil or transfer to an airtight container. Flavors meld and improve on the second day.
Freezer: 3 months — Can be frozen unbaked or baked. If freezing unbaked, bake directly from frozen, adding 45-60 minutes to the covered baking time.
Reheating: Reheat individual slices in the microwave or place the whole dish in a 175 C oven covered with foil until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Lasagna slices collapse and slide apart into a watery pool when served
Cause: Spinach was not squeezed completely dry, or the lasagna was cut while too hot without sufficient resting time.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cut, but serving it in bowls rather than plates can mask the cosmetic issue.
Prevention: Wring out thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel until no more liquid escapes. Always rest the baked lasagna for a minimum of 20 minutes before cutting.
Pasta layers are gummy and clumped together
Cause: Fresh pasta was boiled too long or not shocked in ice water.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Blanch fresh pasta for exactly 30 seconds and immediately cool it to halt the cooking process.
Cultural Context
While lasagna traces its profound historical roots back to ancient Greece and Italy, the robust, cheese-heavy, ricotta-stuffed variation is a hallmark of Italian-American cuisine. It represents a culinary evolution of abundance, turning a modest layered pasta dish into a celebratory, towering centerpiece synonymous with family gatherings and holiday feasts like Thanksgiving.
