No-Fuss Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna
Looking for a hearty and satisfying vegetarian dish that will please everyone at the dinner table? Try this delicious No Fuss Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna! Layers of tender lasagna noodles, creamy cottage cheese, and savory marinara sauce are balanced with bright, fresh spinach and gooey, melty mozzarella cheese, making for a mouthwatering meal that will quickly become a family favorite!
Many people are intimidated or overwhelmed by a traditional lasagna recipe. Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes but I don’t often make it because it’s such a production! I decided to let go of my perfectionist tendencies and the result was this easy, cheesy, insanely delicious No-Fuss Spinach Lasagna.
As an experienced home cook who has cooked thousands of dinners for my family, I’m here to tell you that this dish is much easier to make than you might think! With just a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep, you can create a knock-your-socks-off memorable meal.
One of the great things about spinach lasagna is that it’s a crowd-pleaser. This dish is perfect for feeding a big family, a group of hungry friends, and it’s a great meal to bring for someone who just had a baby. The layers of tender noodles, rich sauce, and creamy cheese create a flavor and texture profile that’s hard to resist. You don’t even miss the meat!
And don’t worry, the actual cooking process is a breeze. Simply mix together the cheese filling, layer everything into the dish, and pop it in the oven. The hardest part will be waiting for it to bake! And once it’s done, you can cut it into portions and serve it up with a Caesar Salad!
Watch how easy it is to make:
Some Ingredient Notes
- Full Fat Cottage Cheese – I know it’s not traditional, but nothing about this recipe is. It works and it’s so good.
- Lasagna Noodles – You don’t need to buy no boil noodles! Regular ones work great and you can put them in raw!
- Greens – Feel free to use spinach, rainbow chard, or Kale. You’re in charge.
How to make vegetarian spinach lasagna
Do You Have to Boil Lasagna Noodles Before Baking?
I’ve got good news! You can make lasagna with uncooked noodles! It doesn’t have to say “no boil” noodles on the box! You can use any lasagna you like and I promise it’ll work. It not only cuts your prep time in half but it makes clean up a lot easier too! I’m telling you, it’s a game changer.
Using Ricotta vs Cottage Cheese
In this recipe specifically, you can use them interchangeably! In terms of the taste and texture of using ricotta vs. cottage cheese, I find itβs very similar, and most people wonβt notice the difference. I prefer using cottage cheese, but I promise itβs great either way.
No-Fuss Lasagna Variations
- To make the dish more veggie-packed, try adding some thinly sliced mushrooms, roasted red peppers, or caramelized onions to the sauce or cheese filling.
- To make the dish gluten-free, use gluten-free Jovial lasagna noodles.
- For a spicy twist, add some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeΓ±os to the sauce or cheese filling.
The Home Cook’s Guide to Salt
Learn about the basics of salt, plus the best salt for cooking (hint: itβs Kosher salt!) with this easy-to-understand guide to salt for home cooks.
Storing and freezing
Storing: To store leftover spinach lasagna, let it cool completely to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4-5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Freezing: To freeze vegetarian lasagna, assemble it as directed, but do not bake it. Instead, cover the dish with foil and freeze it for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed in the recipe. If you’re baking the lasagna straight from the freezer, increase the baking time by 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Note that freezing and thawing may cause the lasagna to become slightly watery, but the flavor and texture should still be delicious.
Food photography byΒ Ashley Cuoco
No-Fuss Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Looking for a hearty and satisfying vegetarian dish that will please everyone at the dinner table? Try this delicious No Fuss Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna! Layers of tender lasagna noodles, creamy cottage cheese, and savory marinara sauce are balanced with bright, fresh spinach and gooey, melty mozzarella cheese, making for a mouthwatering meal that will quickly become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 pound full fat cottage cheese (can also use ricotta)
- ΒΌ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Juice from half a lemon
- ΒΌ teaspoon salt
- ΒΌ teaspoon pepper
- Β½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Β½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (24 oz) jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I use Raoβs)
- 1 (9oz) box lasagna noodles (I used Jovial)
- 3–4 cups chopped fresh spinach, rainbow chard or kale
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl mix together the cottage cheese, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano until combined.Β
- In a large baking dish spread about half of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles followed by half of the cottage cheese mixture, a couple big handfuls of chopped spinach, 1 cup of mozzarella, then repeat layers finishing with mozzarella cheese on top.Β
- Cover with foil tightly and bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
I saw someone else leave a similar review- I rarely take the time to review recipes online. This recipe is great! So easy to assemble ( I recommend doubling it). Itβs a great meal to share or have with company! The noodles end up cooked perfectly and thereβs plenty of spinach in it to make you feel good about it π Since my husband requires meat to be involved to consider it a full meal, I brown lean beef first and then put the sauce in the pan with it to meld together while Iβm prepping everything else. Itβs not required, but definitely delicious! Recommend!!Β
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! I love the idea of adding the meat! SO glad you loved it.
Good recipe. It’smy first!
Thank you!
This recipe is excellent! Β Yes, the noodles were wonderfully, thoroughly cooked, and not mushy. Β It is super simple to make! Β I added shredded chicken as a layer. Β This will be my only go to recipe for lasagna!!!
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!!!
Oh I’m so happy!
This lasagna was a massive hit with 6 peopleβ¦4 of which are kiddos. My 6 year old made it with meβ¦she honestly could have made it all by herself it was THAT easy! It was delicious, nutritious, and filling β¦.and we are already planning to add it to our meal rotation. We love your recipes, Laney!!!! Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world:)
Thank you so much, Julie!! I love that you made it with your daughter and that everyone loved it!
Okay, I have never left a review on a recipe before but I had to come back here to profess my love for this lasagna. Iβm really not a big lasagna girl, but βno fussβ was enticing to me as a pregnant mom with 2 toddlers. Yβall. This was unbelievable. I want to make it for everyone I love. Both my kids loved it, my (meat-loving) husband loved it, and I am absolutely making it again next week. 10/10.Β
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review! I’m thrilled you love it as much as we do and so glad it made your busy life easier! Yay!!
My family loves this recipe! I want to make it for a friend who just had a baby. Can I assemble it ahead of time and drop it off to them in the morning and them be able to cook it later at their house for dinner? Wasnβt sure if it would get soggy or anything. Thank you!Β
That would be perfect! I do it all the time. What a lucky new mama.
How can I substitute frozen, chopped spinach instead of fresh spinach, into the recipe?
Just make sure the frozen spinach is thawed and all the liquid is squeezed out before adding it to the lasagna!
So a great recipe for our weekly meal planning! I use Raos sensitive marina and kale (instead of spinach). So yummy!
Love the idea of using kale!
So you donβt cook the lasagna noodles first?
Nope!
This is simply the easiest, best lasagna you will ever make. So versatile. We sometimes add other veggies; or for more protein I will add an egg to the cottage cheese mixture; sometimes I cook up a batch of ground turkey sausage to mix in with the sauceβ¦couldnβt be better and always a crowd pleaser. I made several of these for my daughter after she gave birth – freezes super well. Couple of extra tipsβ¦spray your foil with cooking spray before you put it on the lasagne (ensures the cheese doesnβt stick to the foil)β¦and I always take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 30 -40 min before Iβm ready to serve it. All lasagnas need time to βsetβ so that they arenβt too saucy/loose. Laney – your recipes are always easy to follow, fool-proof and tasty – even for experienced cooks you are such a wonderful resource!
Great tips! Thank you Janet!
Hi! Do you have the nutritional info for this recipe? Made it last night, absolutely becoming a weekly staple in my house!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I don’t have the nutritional info, sorry!
Love this for an easy weeknight dinner! My kids like it which makes it even better. I use ricotta and it’s always been great.
Huge win when the kids love it!
Your site is super obnoxious, unclear, and you leave some major gaps in your recipe. Tastes good, though!
Thank you?
Oh my goodness, I LOVE this no fuss lasagna. This recipe is so versatile and I always add diced squash and zucchini. I make this for guests, I give this to friends and family who need a warm meal for any occasion and I make this for my family for a delicious dinner. Iβve made this with both gf and non gf noodles and theyβve both come out perfect. This lasagna is a STAPLE dinner!
I need to be your friend π
This is always delicious!
Thank you!
Never really said where are you put the sauce.
The Good Culture DOUBLE CREAM cottage cheese is a game changer, its so thick! I also added a layder of Zuchinni and Mushroom. This recipe is so amazing and so easy to change up to use your veggies!
Oh, I need to try the double cream!!
This recipe turned out perfectly and was absolutely delicious!!! My husband is quite particular and wants gourmet everything but that just doesn’t work for weeknights. He was pleasantly surprised and thought it was fantastic! The whole assembly process took maybe 10 minutes and cleanup was a breeze. Thank you, Laney, for another great recipe π
What a compliment! Thank you for sharing, Heather!
FABULOUS! I made this for the first time, cuz Iβm on a Laney roll right now. Itβs true, NO- FUSS all the way. Not only quick, but I carried on a conversation with my neighbor without messing anything up, itβs that easy. The end result was so much deliciousness. This is now my new fave lasagna recipe. Laney, are you magical or what?!
Thank you Desiree!!!! YOU are fabulous!
This recipe is so easy and so delicious! Itβs my go to recipe when Iβm taking a meal to someone. Then my family benefits because I make one for us too.
Has anyone tried adding portobello mushrooms to this? Going to make it tonight and wanted to ask.
Reading some of the comments about it being soupy, so am concerned about the water content in the spinach and mushrooms.
I’ve thrown some mushrooms in there before and it’s been fine. Just make sure you let it rest after you take it out of the oven to let the juices settle and distribute.
This recipe is so easy and so delicious! Itβs my go to recipe when Iβm taking a meal to someone. Then my family benefits because I make one for us too.
That’s the best! Win win!
Just made this today. Had a zucchini hanging around in the fridge, so sliced that in, too. The piece I had was pretty good, and I bet that this will taste even better tomorrow.
Iβve made this lasagna over and over. My kids beg for it!! And the left overs (if there are any) are just as good, if not better the next day!!
Yay!!!! Makes me so happy!
My FAVORITE lasagna! Have made it so many times. Itβs such a crowd pleaser, and is so easy and delicious!
Thanks so much Claire!
I made this and it was very soupy. I think it needs to bake more time without the foil. It would not hold together like a traditional lasagna. It tasted ok but was lacking the right texture and consistency.
How much longer should you bake it if itβs a double batch in the fridge overnight?
As long as it’s in two separate dishes it should be the same amount of time
Itβs in one large dish
What size of pan do I use for this? A 9Γ13 seems big since it says it is only 4-6 servings, but it seems like a lot of ingredients to fit in a smaller 8×8 pan. I’m excited to try it though! Just need to know which size pan first, maybe you said it and I just missed it. Thanks in advance!
Made this last night. It was sooo good. Added ground turkey breast to the marinara. Used rainbow chard (new fave!). YUM YUM YUM
Love the chard addition!
I had some fresh baby spinach I needed to use up and found this recipe. It was delicious! and not heavy like lasagna usually is. I think the lemon juice is the secret ingredient, you could taste a hint of it and added so much to the flavor. I used freshly grated parmesan, mozzarella, and part skim ricotta, all ingredients I already had in my fridge, and I used a locally made marinara sauce. My dish must be smaller than called for in the recipe because I had to make three layers to use up the noodles. I just spread out the other ingredients between them. I wonder how this recipe would be adding a little bit of flaked white fish (cod, haddock or tilapia)? Anyway, itβs a great recipe that I will make again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Canβt even tell you how many times we have made this recipe!! Sooo good! I sometimes add sausage if I feel like adding some meat and still turns out amazing! I love that you really can add so much spinach once cutting it up! My 4 1/2 and 2 year old always eat more than one bowl! Thank you Laney!
Love how versatile it is too! Thanks for leaving a review!
I just can’t say enough about this dish. It is so easy and so good!! Highly recommend!
Thanks Sharon!! SO happy you love it!
I make this using bow tie pasta and mixing everything together. My kids love it!
So smart!
So easy, so delicious! I added 1/4 cup of white wine to the marinara just for the fun of it. Will definitely make this again and often!
Oh, I love that!
Truly an easy weeknight meal full of nutrients. I added some sautΓ©ed mushrooms to ours. Even used canned mushrooms once. Yum!
Love that idea!
Iβm here 3 days after making the no fuss lasagna and wow, itβs even better than the first night. I added a bunch of mushrooms zucchini and spinach and itβs soooo good! No one wouldβve known that it was cottage cheese and not ricotta. Def going to be on the dinner rotation! Thanks laney!
Yes! I love it for leftover too!!
Is there any other way to make a lasagna now?
We use Jovial Foods GF noodles and jarred organic marinara from Costco and it can be whipped up in no time!
AGREE 100%!!
This lasagna is SO easy to make and absolutely delicious, I only made it last night for the two of us and it will be gone today!
Sounds like how it goes down at my house! So glad you enjoyed it, yay!
Simply delicious π
Thanks Candice!
I freely admit that I absolutely despise using lasagna noodles. They never turn out correctly for me, and I have tried every brand, type, cooking technique, and even the no-boil ones! So, to save myself the irritation (haha), I mixed all the ingredients in a big bowl, then stirred in a 16 ounce box of pre-cooked elbow macaroni, spread it all into a sprayed 9×13 glass baking dish, and baked it like that. Turned out perfectly… and was easy to portion into containers to freeze.
I love that!! I’ve done that too!
I made a double batch so I could keep a pan here and deliver one to a friend who just had a baby. Rave reviews from everyone! My husband even said it was the best lasagna heβd ever had and I was surprised cause it didnβt have any meat! (heβs a very meat/potatoes type of guy)
I will definitely be making this again for myself and friends.
Oh I love hearing this!! Thank you for the awesome review!
Delicious! I admit feeling a bit worried about adding the lemon and not pre-cooking the noodles. Everything turned out delicious! I added an egg to the cottage cheese mix. I also used frozen chopped spinach, defrosted. The resting after it cooks is very important. I let it rest 20 min to properly set. It turned out perfect and my picky eater even enjoyed it!
I’m so glad! Thanks for the awesome review!
Amazing!!! As an Italian gal who can cook a pretty good lasagna, I was very skeptical especially of the cottage cheese, but I will never use ricotta again it was so amazing!! Laney it is such a joy to follow you in all your recipes are a hit!
As an Italian girl who makes a pretty decent traditional lasagna. I was skeptical about two things with this recipe, having no meat, and using cottage cheese instead of ricotta. But I went for it and let me tell you I don’t think I’ll ever use ricotta again!! My husband who despises cottage cheese could not believe how delicious it was, it feels a little lighter too. Loved it. Will make again so soon!
WOW!!!! What a compliment!!
Easy delicious and versatile! Such an absolute winner. Added in some canned mushrooms. Plan to add pesto next time i make it. Thank you Laney!!
Yes!!! Love the additions!!
Iβm impressed! My go-to lasagna is vegetarian but it involves a lot of veggies prep. This was so much more simple! I used power greens and added an egg to the cottage cheese. My whole family loved it (even the one year old)! Thanks Laney!
What a win!! Yay to less work in the kitchen!
Hi Laney!!
Can I use fat free cottage cheese? That is all I have.
Thanks!
It should be ok!
Wow what a delicious recipe!! The flavor is out of this world. My whole family loved it!! I used fat free cottage cheese bc that’s what I had and it was totally fine.
Thanks, Laney!!
Love hearing this Lauren!! So glad you loved it
Made this recipe today and O-M-G it was delicious!!! So easy!! Seriously no fuss lasagna!!! I will be making this again!!!!!!!
Yay!!! SO happy you loved it!
This was so easy and tasty! The lemon adds so much flavor imo. That and my course black pepper added a nice zing. I used the “Power to the Greens” mixture from TJs (which I think you used in a video/instagram). I forgot to chop it first, but it still worked. My mom used to always use a combination of ricotta and cottage cheese, but cottage cheese alone works perfectly. I happened to have spinach noodles and their size seems to be a bit smaller so fit in any pan. Thanks, Laney!
So glad you loved it! Thanks for the awesome review!
I made this for Sunday dinner yesterday and it was fantastic. The only change I made was adding extra Rao’s sauce. We are trying to eat more greens and used the whole tub of fresh spinach. It was so quick to put together. My husband was chopping the spinach in his chopper while I put everything together. We will definitely be making this regularly.
Yay Amy! So glad you enjoyed!!!
This lasagna is absolutely Delicious and super easy! My husband loved it and called it Cheesy Goodness!!
Such a win!!!
One of our favourites! Iβve made this several times, itβs just too easy. I was always nervous about making lasagna before but Laneyβs uncooked lasagna noodle hack was a game changer!
I love that it’s TOO easy!!!
So good. I usually labor over lasagna, but my family loves it! Tonight, as I was headed to work, I sent my husband the recipe and asked him to use the spinach in the fridge. Of course, my son had to be convinced, as he told him it was βuglyβ, but he devoured it! Thank you!
Such a win! Thanks for leaving an awesome review!
This recipe is so good with the spinach. Sometimes I add meat and/or other veggies. π
My hubbie loves lasagna, and now I make it more often because of this recipe.
Such a great staple! Thanks for leaving a review!
This was surprisingly easy to make and I had never made a lasagna before! I’m pretty sure I did something wrong because I had like half the box of noodles left, but it was delicious! Also, I’m going to forever chop up my spinach before I put it into any cooked dish. I have no idea why I hadn’t before because it’s a gamechanger.
I just overlap the noodles a bunch, but glad you loved it!!! And yes, chopped spinach allows you to add so much more!
This recipe is so good! Quick and easy too! I had my doubts about a veggie lasagna with spinach. But my whole family devoured it! This will get added to our favorite meal list.
Hooray!!!!!
This is SO delicious and incredibly easy to put together. I always felt a little intimidated to make lasagnaβ¦enter Laney and Cook with Confidence, and now I whip up lasagna regularly! I make with ground turkey, and itβs SO SO good! My family loves it too! Thank you Laney!
So thrilled to hear this!!
Can i prepare this, freeze it, and cook it later?
Yes for sure! You might need to add some cook time if cooking from frozen
Delicious! In case anyone wants to make this vegan, I used kite hill almond milk ricotta and added about .5 cup water and a drizzle of olive oil to make it a little creamier. I omitted the mozzarella entirely but of course you could use a plant based mozzarella as well. Overall loved the recipe – thank you so much! Definitely making again next week because it is already gone after day one! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your version of this Sherry! Love that it’s so versatile!
This lasagna is SO good and SO easy to make! It has become a new staple dinner in our house. I add ground turkey when I make it, and even with the extra step of cooking the turkey I still can have this all put together and in the oven in 15 minutes! Truly is no fuss. My husband is obsessed with it and every guest Iβve made it for loves it too!
I love that you love this dish as much as we do, Bethany! It really is that simple and so so tasty! Thanks for leaving an awesome review!
Versatile which is nice! I chose to brown 1.25lb of ground beef and season with the same seasonings as the cottage cheese mixture then stirred with sauce. I also used a Mexican cheese blend as I was out of mozzarella. I would recommend thirds when portioning sauce vs. half Like the recipe said, I needed some for the bottom and then two layers. I don’t feel this needed lemon per say as I didn’t taste it in the recipe, but would have to try again without to confirm. If I were to make again, I’d add more sauce. My top noodles were crispy and I felt maybe there wasn’t enough moisture on the top layer(?) Overall it was delicious and I’ll be adding it to my recipes book βΊ
So easy and soo damn good!!
Yup. This recipe is no fuss and still bomb. My husband and kids even love this with the spinach/veggies. My only βtweakβ is that I do 1/2 cottage cheese and 1/2 ricotta for the mixture. My husband even said this is now his favorite meal that I make. Itβs become part of our steady dinner rotation, and Iβm about to make it again to bring to a friend who just had a baby.
If I canβt find no boil noodles ( hard to find those in whole wheat which is what we prefer) would I boil them first?
You can use regular noodles too and don’t need to boil them!
Do you only add the marinara once at the bottom?
Nope, I repeat all the layers!
Enjoyed your demo for NFP last week. I’ve had a great time looking around your site. My husband made the No-Fuss Spinach Lasagna last night, and it was fabulous! I’m excited to try more recipes.
I made this for the first time this week – I always have 1/2 box of lasagna noodles I don’t know what to do with when I make a full lasagna recipe…I made this in an 8×8 glass pan and it worked out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly except I added an egg to the cottage cheese mixture. This was one of the easiest lasagna’s I’ve ever made – and my husband, who is a meat lasagna kinda guy – told me it was absolutely delicious. We had enough for 2 meals for the 2 of us. Another winner Laney!
This was so delicious and easy to make!! I added some sausage and used ricotta. Perfection π€©π 10/10 will make again!
I’m so glad you loved it Dani!
My family loved this dish. I brought some in for coworkers and shared the love. Great recipe to modify, too – I used the fresh greens I had on hand. This will be a great fresh produce clean out to keep on hand.
Yes absolutely! Love using what I have on hand! Thanks for leaving a review Amanda!
I made this just now and it was really good!! Will be making again, very simple and can easily make it your own