Spinach and Beef Lasagna with White Sauce

This moist and creamy Spinach and Beef Lasagna recipe features three layers of lasagna noodles filled between layers with juicy meat sauce, fresh spinach, creamy Parmesan white sauce, and gooey mozzarella cheese.

Baked to perfection with crispy edges, bubbly and gooey mozzarella cheese, rich creamy bechamel Parmesan sauce, and al dente lasagna noodles infused with ground beef, Italian sausage cooked in pureed and chunky fire-roasted tomatoes flavored with Italian seasonings and herbs.

Lasagna is a versatile recipe. You can add your favorite herbs and spices, or vegetables like spinach, zucchini, or carrots.

Adding some of your favorite vegetables doesn’t make it healthy but it counters the richness of this dish, and fresh spinach is great addition to lasagna.

Lasagna is a well-loved family meal and great for gatherings. Even kids love this delicious creamy, meaty Spinach and Beef Lasagna with white sauce recipe.

This lasagna doesn’t have ricotta cheese; instead, it is layered with creamy white sauce or Parmesan bechamel sauce.

It takes time to make lasagna, but if you plan ahead, it is worth it without sacrificing the flavor.

Cook the meat sauce and Parmesan bechamel sauce a day early and store it in the fridge. The following day, prepare the noodles and assemble the lasagna. Bake until golden and bubbly.

There you go, you have one delicious dish that everyone will love.

How to make spinach and beef lasagna step by step

Typical lasagna has three components: The meat sauce, bechamel sauce, mozzarella, and the lasagna noodles. Not this lasagna, it has a fourth component – fresh spinach in between layers.

(1) Meat Sauce Ingredients

Ground Beef and Italian Sausage (not in casing) - This lasagna has a combination of beef and Italian sausage. The herbs and spices in the Italian sausage adds so much flavor to this meat sauce.

Note: Brown the beef first and remove the excess fat, leaving 1 to 2 tablespoons in pan.

Pureed Italian Tomato Sauce – I prefer to use tomato sauce seasoned with herbs and spices. I used Prego Traditional Italian Sauce.

Chunky or Diced Tomatoes – It gives added texture and juiciness to this delicious sauce. I used fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular tomato sauce.

Tomato Paste – It is used to thicken the mixture and to enhance the flavor.

Fresh Oregano, Parsley, and Basil – These fresh herbs blend perfectly with meat and tomato sauce. It brings all these ingredients together into one flavorful meat sauce.

These organic herbs are from my garden, and boy, they are so fresh.

Note: I prefer to use fresh herbs, but dry herbs will work as well.

Salt and Pepper to Taste -  Don't add too much salt since cheese can be salty.

Brown Sugar –  The purpose of brown sugar is not to sweeten the dish but to counter the bitter taste of some varieties of tomatoes.

Note: Some tomato sauce products are sweet, so it is best to taste the meat sauce before adding the brown sugar.

The sauce can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.

(2) Fresh Spinach – Instead of adding fresh spinach to the meat sauce, I make it into a separate layer. It is spread evenly throughout the lasagna unlike when added to the meat sauce.

Adding spinach to the meat sauce ends up in clumps and is not distributed well in the lasagna.

Spreading fresh spinach on it’s own layer ensures that every piece of lasagna has a generous amount of spinach; after all, this is a Spinach Lasagna recipe.

Note: If using frozen spinach, drain excess water. Adding fresh spinach releases enough liquid to add moisture to the noodles as long as it is cooked al dente.

Also, if you wash the spinach like I did, strain it in a salad spinner and pat dry with a paper towel. Make sure you do this; you don’t want excess water in your dish.

(3) Bechamel Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese – Lasagna is not complete without the cheese. This lasagna does not have the typical ricotta cheese; instead, it is layered with creamy white sauce also known as Parmesan bechamel sauce.

Bechamel is made of butter and flour known as white roux, then it is blended with milk and whisk until slightly thick.

Note: It is best to make the bechamel or white sauce on the day you are making this dish, but you can also make it a day ahead. Put it in a glass container, place the plastic wrap touching the top of the bechamel sauce so it doesn’t form a skin, and refrigerate.

Nutmeg is added to enhance the flavor, and beaten egg is added to give it a yellowish color.

Parmesan Parmigiano is added to the bechamel sauce to give this lasagna rich creamy cheesy flavor.

I prefer lasagna with more cheese, so I add a generous amount of freshly grated or shredded mozzarella cheese. It adds more taste, texture, and helps hold your layers together.

Note: I like fresh mozzarella, but with lasagna, I prefer to use pre-shredded mozzarella. It has a lower fat content, melts uniformly instead of clumping, and is less work for you; no need to grate.

(4) Lasagna Noodles – I prefer to use the no-boil noodles as they absorb the sauce much better and don’t get soggy.

Dry noodles are thicker, which I don’t mind if cooked al dente; it works perfectly as well.

Tip: Boil noodles in batches with a generous amount of salt. Drain water and place noodles in a tray that was lightly sprayed or greased with olive oil.

Lay out cooked lasagna noodles, then spray the top with olive oil before adding another layer. This will prevent noodles from sticking to each other.

Assembling spinach and beef lasagna layers

Once you have all the components prepared, it is a breeze to assemble this delicious, creamy lasagna.

Tip: For this Spinach Lasagna recipe, use a 9in x 13in casserole baking pan with a depth of 3 inches. It will overflow if you don’t use a deep casserole pan.

Lightly grease the sides and bottom of the casserole with butter or olive oil.

Note:

You will have 3 layers of lasagna noodles. Divide the following into portions:

• Meat Sauce into 4 portions.
• Fresh Spinach into 3 portions.
• Parmesan Bechamel Sauce into 3 portions.
• Mozzarella Cheese into 3 portions.

Steps to assemble spinach and beef lasagna layers

(1) First Layer (a) Add meat sauce at the bottom of the pan then lay out fresh spinach. This will prevent noodles from sticking to the pan.

(b) Lay 3 or 4 overlapping lasagna noodles depending on your preference. I like more noodles to counter the richness of the sauce.

(c) Spread out fresh spinach.

(d) Pour and spread bechamel or white sauce.

(e) Sprinkle mozzarella cheese throughout the lasagna.

(2) Repeat the same procedure for the second Layer.

(3) On the Third layer, add noodles, meat sauce, bechamel sauce, and mozzarella cheese. No spinach on this last layer.

Suggestion: Cover the casserole pan with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight so flavors can meld together. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 40 minutes. Make sure to watch after 25 minutes; if the top is browning quickly and bubbly, turn off the oven.

Otherwise, if you want it now, bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

My spinach lasagna was perfectly baked with browning and crisp sides. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

When you take a bite, this spinach lasagna is moist with flavors coming together. The  noodles were perfectly flavored with meat sauce in chunky fire-roasted tomatoes, with a generous amount of spinach in creamy, milky, Parmesan bechamel sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese. Top with parsley. Enjoy!

Storing and reheating leftover

Place leftover lasagna in a well-sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days or freeze it for a month. If frozen, thaw it in the fridge and heat it in the microwave.

Unbaked Lasagna – To save time, make extra servings of lasagna that you can freeze. Use a disposable aluminum foil pan and cover it with heavy-duty foil. Make sure to seal the edges well.

When ready to serve, thaw it in fridge overnight or for 24 hours and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Note: I prefer not to bake and freeze a whole pan of lasagna for future consumption. If stored in a well-sealed food saver, I might.

If storing for a few weeks in the freezer, unbaked lasagna is my choice.

Recipe