Who doesn't love an absolutely brilliant lasagna? It's unheard of! And while traditionalists often stick to the classic meat ragu lasagna we all know and love, there are too many unique variations of this familiar dish to keep count. Perhaps the most scrumptious adaptation of this family favorite is a creamy spinach lasagna. An ingenious way to trick your little ones into eating their greens, this slow cooker recipe calls for sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach to be gently folded into a sultry cheese sauce before being layered in the slow cooker alongside easy, no-cook noodles. Delicious!
Although the recipe calls for one step more than many slow cooker recipes, the quick-frying of the veggies takes only 5 minutes, and you'll find the extra step to be well worth the effort. If you were looking to use ground beef to bulk up this dish a bit — although it's plenty hearty already — see the tip below for the instructions. This recipe is the perfect dish to whip up for a special dinner that's sure to delight the whole family.
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Cooktop Cove
Ingredients
12 lasagna noodles (8 ounce box)
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces fresh spinach — this will shrink once cooked
1 egg
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or one teaspoon each of parsley,oregano and basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 24-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces fresh spinach — this will shrink once cooked
1 egg
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or one teaspoon each of parsley,
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 24-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
1. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and spinach. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the onions are softened. Drain if necessary, and leave to one side to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, 1 egg, and the spinach and mushroom mixture. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon until smooth.
3. Pour one-fourth of the pasta sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker, and place one layer of lasagna pasta sheets on top, breaking if necessary to get them to fit. Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture over the top of the noodles, and cover with one-third of the shredded mozzarella and a sprinkling of extra Parmesan, topped with a coating of the pasta sauce. Cover with another layer of noodles and repeat the layering two more times: noodle, cheese sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, pasta sauce.
4. Once the final coating of pasta sauce has been added, cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
TIP: To add meat to this yummy dish, brown 1 pound of ground beef in a saucepan before adding in the onion, garlic, mushrooms and spinach. Follow the rest of the recipe as instructed and enjoy!
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