[Spinach lasagna] Simply easy and hearty lasagna

This is my signature lasagna.

As I said before in my Sausage & Mushroom lasagna post,

lasagna is my favorite food in the whole world.

Thank God, both my kids love lasagna so that they don't complain about the frequency of lasagna as dinner menu.

I pack lasagna for lunch too. The only inconvenient thing about lasagna is that I can't really eat it cold.

Nonetheless, I get excited whenever there is lasagna leftover.

I love leftover. Don't you agree that good food needs to be re-appreciated at least for two times?

I can assure you once again that my lasagna is the easiest lasagna you can imagine.

It's all because my recipe skips the most cumbersome step of lasagna making, which is lasagna noodle cooking. :)

You may have experienced how sticky large lasagna noodle becomes and difficult to handle without tearing, once it is cooked.

Here you can layer dry lasagna noodles right away,

and they will be cooked beautifully in the oven.

Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb frozen spinach, thawed

1 + 1/2 cup cottage cheese

1teaspoon garlic, minced

1/2 lb extra lean ground beef

2 + 1/2 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought

2 Cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

salt

pepper

1tablespoon olive oil

How to make:

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef.

Season with salt and pepper.

Drain excess liquid.

3.Combine 2 cups tomato sauce with cooked beef. 

4.  Mix spinach, cottage cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, in a bowl.

5. Spread 1/3 - 1/2 cup tomato sauce generously in the bottom of 9'*13' baking pan.

You need this sauce at the bottom so that its liquid will be absorbed to noodles while those were cooked.

6. Layer 3 dry noodles.

Don't overlap noodles as they will expand and fill the gap.

7.  1/3 of beef & tomato sauce mixture,

8. Cover noodles with 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture,

and 1/3 - 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers two more times.

Add the last 3 noodles and top with remaining sauce 

and mozzarella cheese.

Sprinkle Parmasan cheese over mozzarella if you wish.

I always do.

 

Tent the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake about 35 minutes.

Then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

I switch it to broiling mode and broil the top for 1 minutes to brown the cheese.

But, it's just an option.

Tara~

Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Spinach lasagna is ready to serve.

 

 I have to tell you again.

Lasagna is really really easy to make.

 This is the serving size for me :)

 It's also fun to make.

Bon Appétit!

Easy Spinach Lasagna