Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna (Italian Recipe with Béchamel Sauce)

Spinach and ricotta lasagna is a classic Italian baked pasta dish, made with delicate layers of fresh pasta, a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, and a smooth béchamel sauce that binds everything together.This traditional vegetarian lasagna is rich yet light, with a perfectly balanced flavor and an irresistibly creamy texture. Unlike meat-based lasagna, this version highlights the freshness of spinach and the mild sweetness of ricotta, making it a refined and comforting Italian recipe.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g spinach (- 1.1 pound, fresh or frozen)
• 500 g ricotta (- 1.1 pound)
• 200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (- about 2 cups)
• nutmeg (- to taste)
• salt (- to taste)
• black pepper (- to taste)
• 12 sheets Lasagna
• 500 ml whole milk (- about 2 cups)
• 50 g unsalted butter (- 1.8 oz)
• 50 g all-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour (- 1.8 oz)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• nutmeg (- to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the Bechamel Sauce ---
2. 2Melt: In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour with the help of a flour sieve: in this way you are sure that there are no lumps. Mix quickly with a whisk, until the mixture is smooth. The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color.
3. 3Pour: Heat the milk, without bringing to a boil. Pour the milk slowly over the roux, while stirring with a whisk. Season with salt and grated nutmeg to taste.
4. 4Cook for about 10-15 minutes, mixing constantly, until you have a fairly thick consistency. The sauce is ready when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.
5. 5--- Make the Filling ---
6. 6Boil the spinach in a pot with very little salted water for a few minutes, until tender. If you are using frozen spinach, when water start boiling, cook for 5 minutes.
7. 7Drain and let them cool, then squeeze to remove excess water, finally chop with a hand immersion blender.
8. 8Mix: In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach with the ricotta, half of the grated Parmigiano, a pinch of fine salt, freshly grated black pepper and nutmeg to taste. Mix all the ingredients until you get a creamy mixture.
9. 9--- Make the Layers ---
10. 10Place 2-3 tablespoons of béchamel on the bottom of a baking pan, then lay down the first layer of lasagna sheets and cover them with the spinach and ricotta filling.
11. 11Cover with some bèchamel and finish with 2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano.
12. 12Continue: Keep making the layers as described above, till you finish all the ingredients.
13. 13Finish: End the last layer with plenty of Parmigiano cheese to create a crispy crust during cooking.
14. 14Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes. Let spinach and ricotta lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.