Spinach Pesto Lasagna .jpg

Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Who doesn’t love lasagna? And a dish that provides bountiful leftovers, for that matter? This dish is perfect to make on Sunday for leftovers throughout the work week.

I was inspired to make a pesto lasagna version for my friends who don’t enjoy tomatoes. The spinach pesto pairs extremely well with the ricotta and is dangerously delicious. Not to mention, this dish is a wonderful way to incorporate more greens into your life.

I love this dish because it incorporates spinach, brussel sprouts, pistachios, parsley, mushrooms and onions - which all provide a rich amount of fiber, folic acid, iron, vitamin K, vitamin C, beta-carotene and more.

Pro tip: make ahead of time and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

Enjoy!

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Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients

Lasagna Filling
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1/2 large red onion, diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced 
  • 1/2 cup brussel sprouts, thinly sliced 
  • 1 package (12 oz) fully cooked chicken sausage, diced  
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 
  • 1 teaspoon pepper 
  • 1teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
  • 1, 8 oz package shredded mozzarella 
  • 1, 8 oz package shredded parmesan 
  • 1, 16 oz package of no boil lasagna noodles (about 12-15 sheets) 
Spinach Pesto
  • 3 cups spinach, raw
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic 
  • 1/4 cup pistachios
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Ricotta Filling
  • 16 oz container ricotta 
  • 1 cup parsley, minced 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • Dash of salt (optional) 

Instructions

Lasagna Filling
  1. In a sauté pan, on medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 
  2. Add the diced onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are translucent. About 10-15 minutes. 
  3. Add the thinly sliced brussel sprouts and cook for another 5-10 minutes. 
  4. Add the chicken sausage, garlic salt, pepper, onion powder and red pepper flakes. 
  5. Cook until chicken sausage is heated through - about 5-10 minutes. 
  6. Turn off heat and set aside. 
Spinach Pesto
  1. In a cuisinart, add the raw spinach, olive oil, garlic, pistachios, grated parmesan, pepper and salt. 
  2. Mix until well blended. 
  3. Set aside. 
Ricotta Filling
  1. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, parsley, eggs, pepper, garlic powder and salt (optional). 
  2. Mix until well blended. 
  3. Set aside. 
Lasagna Assembly
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. In a 8x10 inch baking pan, scoop 1/3 of the pesto into the pan and spread evenly. 
  3. Next, add a layer of no boil lasagna noodles on top of the pesto mixture. Break the noodles (if needed) to make sure you cover the entire pan. 
  4. Scoop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and spread evenly. 
  5. Scoop 1/3 of the chicken mixture on top of the ricotta and spread evenly. 
  6. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan over the chicken mixture. 
  7. Repeat for 2 more layers - pesto, noodles, ricotta, chicken mixture, cheese. If possible, try to begin and end with the pesto. If ending with pesto, sprinkle the rest of the shredded mozzarella and shredded parmesan over the top.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. If needed, place aluminum foil on top to keep the lasagna from browning too much. 
  9. Once out of the oven, let cool for 10 minutes. 
  10. Slice and enjoy! 
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