Lasagna Florentine is a vegetarian ricotta cheese and spinach pasta dish that is no-fuss and high-reward. Each layer of noodles is covered with a rich ricotta mixture that includes spinach, garlic, a hint of nutmeg, and a simple homemade marinara sauce.
This vegetarian Florentine lasagna has all the wonderful qualities of its meatier counterparts: cheese, sauce, and perfectly al dente noodles.
The main difference between a lasagna Florentine with spinach and ricotta versus one with bolognese sauce is the time invested.
While a meat sauce is delicious, it requires considerable patience. This ricotta and spinach lasagna is streamlined, quicker to prepare, and adored by everyone.
My marinara sauce with sausage is always a good choice if you want a bold and hearty meat option. Or try my rigatoni al forno—a baked pasta dish with a sausage-rich sauce similar to lasagna.
If you're feeling indecisive, Italian pink sauce pasta is the best of both worlds: creamy with lots of tomato flavor. Or something a little greener but still delicious, pasta with broccoli and garlic is simple and my personal favorite.
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🛒 Ingredients & Notes
At the end of this post, you'll find a printable recipe card with exact measurements and simple, step-by-step instructions.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
- If you have an extra 20 minutes take the time to make your own marinara sauce. It's really easy, and you know exactly what goes into it.
- Choose canned tomatoes that have the fewest ingredients possible. Skip those with sugars and other unnecessary ingredients. Keep it simple.
Ricotta Mixture Ingredients
- I used whole-milk ricotta in this recipe, and I'd recommend it. It's richer and more flavorful than the part-skim ricotta.
- If you've never tried adding nutmeg to a dish with cheese, you've been missing something. Nutmeg adds that "Ooo, what is that?" to a dish and balances out the fat and salt in cheese-heavy recipes.
- In classic French and Italian cooking, a pinch of nutmeg is often added to white sauces (like béchamel) and ricotta-based fillings.
Noodles & Additional Ingredients
- I used block-form mozzarella for this recipe. It doesn't contain cellulose,a plant fiber used in pre-shredded cheese to prevent clumping. I recommend shredding it yourself-yes it's extra work, but the meltiness you'll get in return is well worth it.
- Natamycin, a natural mold inhibitor, is often added to pre-shredded cheese to inhibit mold growth. Though it doesn't affect the cheese's flavor, I'd rather not eat it. This is another good reason to shred the cheese yourself.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute homemade sauce for store-bought. You'll need 4 cups/32 ounces to make this lasagna.
- Use Parmigiano-Reggiano (which is smoother in taste) instead of Pecorino Romano. Either one is a great choice.
- To replace the 11 ounces of fresh spinach required for this recipe, you’ll need about 1 heaping cup of thawed (squeezed of excess water) spinach.
👩🏻🍳 Instructions
How to make lasagna Florentine with step-by-step instructions.
Boil Water
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Make Sauce
While you wait for the water to boil, make the sauce. Add the olive oil and onion to a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
Cook Spinach
At this point, the water should have reached the boiling point. Add the spinach and cook until wilted about 10 seconds. Remove the spinach with a slotted spoon and leave it to drain in a strainer set over a small bowl. Do not discard the pot of water you will need it in the next step.
Cook Noodles
Bring the same pot of water back up to a boil, salt, add noodles, and cook according to the package directions, but undercook by five minutes (they will still have a bite to them, but that’s okay). Drain the noodles into a colander, and with kitchen tongs, lay each one flat onto a clean tea towel and set aside.
Chop Spinach
At this point, the spinach should have cooled enough to handle (if not, run it under cold water). Take the spinach, squeeze out the excess water, and roughly chop. Set aside.
Make Ricotta Mixture
Add the ricotta, spinach, eggs, garlic, salt, and nutmeg to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Heat Oven
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Assemble the Lasagna
Base Layer
Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch heat-proof casserole dish and spread evenly to coat.
First Layer
Lay 3 noodles over the sauce, then dollop 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, gently spreading, and add 1 cup of sauce, again gently spreading.
Second Layer
Lay 3 more noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 cup of the ricotta filling and 1 cup of sauce.
Third Layer
Layer 3 more noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 cup of the ricotta filling and 1 cup of sauce.
Final Layer
Lay the remaining 3 noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 heaping cup of sauce, gently spreading it. Evenly sprinkle with Pecorino Romano or Pamigiano-Reggiano cheese, and mozzarella, followed by basil, and oregano.
Bake
Cover with parchment paper (to prevent the cheese from sticking) and then with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes, then remove the parchment and foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and let sit for 15 minutes uncovered to cool down, making it easier to slice.
Quick Tips
- Use low-moisture mozzarella and shred it yourself.
- Really squeeze the cooked spinach to extract as much water as possible.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven, this way, when ready to cut it, you'll get neat, perfectly stacked servings.
FAQs
You can, but I recommend making and eating the lasagna on the same day. No-boil noodles are not ideal for making lasagna ahead of time, and they don't freeze well, in my experience.
Yes. To replace the 11 ounces of fresh spinach required for this recipe, you’ll need about 1 heaping cup of thawed (squeezed of excess water) spinach.
The term Florentine in cooking refers to dishes prepared with spinach. It traces back to Catherine de’ Medici, an Italian noblewoman from Florence who became Queen of France in the 16th century.
When she moved to France, she brought her love of spinach (and her Florentine chefs) with her. Over time, French cuisine began labeling spinach-based dishes as à la Florentine.
Make Ahead Instructions
Refrigerator: The lasagna will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Seal the casserole dish tightly with parchment paper and foil. When ready to eat, leave the lasagna at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats up. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and test for doneness after 45 minutes. I like to insert the tip of a clean kitchen knife into the center of the lasagna. If the tip of the knife is very hot to the touch, it's done. If not, cook for another 10-15 minutes and check again. Once the center is piping hot, remove the foil and parchment paper, and bake for an additional 10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer of the lasagna.
Freezer: To freeze the lasagna, prepare the recipe as outlined, but do not bake. Simply wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator. Then bake for roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour, testing with a knife as mentioned above. Once the lasagna is warmed through, bake for about 10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer.
Did you make this recipe? Let’s chat about it. Comment below or find me on Instagram.
📝 Recipe Card
Lasagna Florentine
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- 2 large pots
- 1 small bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- slotted spoon (spider)
- strainer/sieve
- knife
- chopping board
- spatula
- 9-inch by 13-inch heat-proof casserole dish
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce can) diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Ricotta Mixture Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta , 2 cups
- 1 (11-ounce) container fresh baby spinach
- 2 large eggs
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Noodles & Additional Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 1 ounce Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated about ½ cup
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded-aim for mozzarella with a moisture content of 42% and milk fat of 28%
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped, Italian flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil
- Make Sauce: While you wait for the water to boil, make the sauce. Add the olive oil and onion to a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1 (15-ounce can) diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cook Spinach: At this point, the water should have reached the boiling point. Add the spinach and cook until wilted about 10 seconds. Remove the spinach with a slotted spoon and leave it to drain in a strainer set over a small bowl. Do not discard the pot of water you will need it in the next step.1 (11-ounce) container fresh baby spinach
- Cook Noodles: Bring the same pot of water back up to a boil, salt, add noodles, and cook according to the package directions, but undercook by five minutes (they will still have a bite to them, but that’s okay). Drain the noodles into a colander, and with kitchen tongs, lay each one flat onto a clean tea towel and set aside.12 lasagna noodles
- Chop Spinach: At this point, the spinach should have cooled enough to handle (if not run under cold water). Take the spinach, squeeze out the excess water, and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Make Ricotta Mixture: Add the ricotta, spinach, eggs, garlic, salt, and nutmeg to a medium bowl and stir to combine.1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta, 2 large eggs, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Heat Oven: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Assemble the Lasagna
- Base Layer: Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch heat-proof casserole dish and spread evenly to coat.
- First Layer: Lay 3 noodles over the sauce, then dollop 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, gently spreading, and add 1 cup of sauce, again gently spreading.
- Second Layer: Lay 3 more noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 cup of the ricotta filling and 1 cup of sauce.
- Third Layer: Layer 3 more noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 cup of the ricotta filling and 1 cup of sauce.
- Final Layer: Lay the remaining 3 noodles over the sauce, followed by 1 heaping cup of sauce, gently spreading it. Evenly sprinkle with Pecorino Romano or Pamigiano-Reggiano cheese, and mozzarella, followed by basil, and oregano.1 ounce Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Bake: Cover with parchment paper (to prevent the cheese from sticking) and then with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes, then remove the parchment and foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and let sit for 15 minutes uncovered to cool down, making it easier to slice.2 tablespoons finely chopped, Italian flat-leaf parsley
Donna Poirier says
I could eat pasta every day…especially when it’s lasagna! Enjoy 😊