Serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking spray
- 12 dried whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet or yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, finely chopped in a food processor
- 2 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped and juices reserved
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 pound shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Coat a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the onions and garlic to the same pot and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, spinach, and soy sauce and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and spinach is wilted. Drain off any excess moisture and return the vegetables to the pan. Return the ground beef to the pot.
- Add the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and their juices, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper and stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat until the flavors meld, 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, place the ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella, eggs, Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley in a large bowl and stir to combine; set aside.
- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles in a single layer over the sauce down the length of the baking dish. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the noodles. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the meat sauce and spread into an even layer. Starting with the noodles, repeat the layering two more times. Finish with the remaining 3 noodles, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top starts to brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make ahead: The lasagna can be assembled the night before, covered, and refrigerated until ready to bake. I would recommend baking it within 24 hours of assembling it. Increase the covered bake time by 5 to 10 minutes.
