Sweet potatoes sub in for lasagna noodles in this twist on the classic, while spinach adds a pop of color (and plenty of nutrition). The result is a hearty and satisfying main dish that just happens to be vegetarian and gluten-free too!
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- Two 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
- 1 pound mozzarella, grated
- 2 pounds ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large)
Instructions
- For the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and mash into a chunky puree using a potato masher. Bring to a simmer and partially cover the pan with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
- For the lasagna: While the sauce is cooking, drain the water from the spinach, place in a clean kitchen towel and wring well to remove any excess water. Break up the spinach into a large bowl. Set aside 1 cup of the mozzarella, then add the remaining mozzarella to the bowl with the spinach. Add the ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and trim a small bit from one of the longer ends on each so they will sit flat and not roll. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- To assemble the lasagna: Add about 3/4 cup of sauce to the bottom of a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place a single layer of sweet potato slices along the bottom. Top with one-quarter of the ricotta and spinach mixture and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread gently into an even layer. Dollop about 3/4 cup of sauce on top of the ricotta mixture. Top with another layer of sweet potato slices facing the opposite direction from the previous layer. Repeat with ricotta mixture and sauce until you have 4 layers, ending with the remaining sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, top with the reserved mozzarella and bake until the lasagna is bubbling, the mozzarella is starting to brown and the sweet potatoes are tender when a paring knife is inserted into the center, an additional 45 to 60 minutes. Let sit for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 630 |
| Total Fat | 33 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 153 mg |
| Sodium | 1279 mg |
Reviews
thought this was a really delicious recipe!!
Love this recipe. Just cook the sweet potatoes to almost done before slicing for lasagna.
Not worth the Time or Effort.
I gave this a try even though I was on the fence about sweet potato. I love love love sweet potato but this combo was terrible. Also I raised the temp to 375 and baked for almost 2 hours and the sweet potato was still hard. Yes I sliced them 1/4 inch thick on a meat slicer. I had to put each lasagna serving in the microwave to cook the sweet potato. Will NOT make this again. Ick!
I gave this a try even though I was on the fence about sweet potato. I love love love sweet potato but this combo was terrible. Also I raised the temp to 375 and baked for almost 2 hours and the sweet potato was still hard. Yes I sliced them 1/4 inch thick on a meat slicer. I had to put each lasagna serving in the microwave to cook the sweet potato. Will NOT make this again. Ick!
Skip the frozen spinach and sub in fresh spinach. (You will need to sauté it first.)
I like twist with sweet potatoes added hot italian sausage to sauce and for me it took longer to bake but the flavor was great!