Zucchini and Spinach Lasagna

I've been craving a pasta dish lately and didn't feel like doing something with a tomato sauce. Sure enough, this Zucchini and Spinach Lasagna hit the spot! I spotted this recipe in a Southern Living magazine a year or two ago and it's always a big hit.

Photo by Jennifer Davick

Zucchini should be coming in soon, and this year I am determined to not let the squash bugs and squash vine borers get the best of all my hard work. I'll show you later what I'm doing, but here's a preview of things to come:

Zucchini and Spinach Lasagna
Recipe Source: Southern Living

1 (8-oz) container whipped chive-and-onion cream cheese
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. salt
5 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (about 2 ½ lbs.)
2 T olive oil
1 (10 oz) fresh spinach (or thawed 10 oz. chopped, frozen)

1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, pressed
*6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 (7 oz) package shredded mozzarella cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish: fresh basil leaves

*Note: Although this recipe calls for using no-boil lasagna, I chose to use regular noodles and boil mine prior, as the sauce does not have very much liquid and I didn't want the lasagna to dry out. 

Preheat oven to 425°(or 350° if pre-boiling noodles). Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Sautee zucchini in hot olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add spinach; gently toss until wilted; add garlic and 1/2 tsp salt; cook 1 minute.

Spoon 1/3 of vegetables into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking dish; top with 2 noodles and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat twice. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake, covered with lightly greased aluminum foil at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and noodles are tender. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until top is golden. If baking with pre-boiled noodles, bake at 350° uncovered for 30-45 minutes, or until top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes; garnish if desired.

Freezing - This lasagna freezes amazingly well! Freeze unbaked with a double-layer of tin foil over the top. Bake frozen at 375° with the tin foil on for about 1.5 - 2 hours. The last 30-45 minutes remove the tin foil from the top and bake till golden and bubbly.