Courgette and Spinach Lasagne
Who knew courgettes could stand in so beautifully for lasagne sheets? In this courgette and spinach lasagne, wafer-thin slices of courgette take the place of pasta, giving you a juicy, veg-packed bake with no pasta layers at all. A creamy spinach and soft cheese filling meets a rich tomato sauce and a golden, grilled cheese topping. It's easy to adapt too, so try it with feta, aubergine or a fillet of salmon.
Ingredients
- 400 g spinach, freshly chopped or frozen leaf spinach
- 2 courgettes
- 1 onion
- 100 g cream cheese
- 1 pack passata, sieved tomatoes, about 400-500 g
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp Italian dried herbs
- nutmeg, to taste
- paprika, to taste
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- vegetable stock, a splash
- 1 tomato
- 100 g grated cheese, e.g. a melting gratin cheese, mozzarella or Parmesan
The ingredient amounts above scale with your choice. The value per serving stays the same, while the total in the pot grows with the number of servings.
All nutrition values side by side
| Nutrient | per serving (estimate) | Total for 4 Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 kcal | 880 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g | 40 g |
| Protein | 13 g | 52 g |
| Fat | 14 g | 56 g |
| Fibre | 4 g | 16 g |
| of which sugar | 7 g | 28 g |
How this is calculated
Target amount = ingredient amount × target servings ÷ base servings. The result is then rounded for kitchen use: from 100 g or ml to the nearest 5, between 1 and 99 to the nearest 1, pieces and spoons to half units, amounts below one unit to quarters, thirds or halves. Teaspoons and tablespoons also go down to an eighth, kilograms and litres stay finer.
Total = value per serving × target servings. The value per serving is unchanged, because ingredient amount and serving count change by the same factor.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Art. 32 and 33: nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, additionally allowed per portion.
- European Commission, Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU food law, setting of tolerances for nutrient values declared on a label, December 2012.
Nutrition values are estimates from the recipe record, not laboratory results. Even for checked labels the EU sets tolerances: for fat, protein and carbohydrates 20 percent in the range of 10 to 40 g per 100 g, and 2 g per 100 g below that. Home cooking varies more, because variety, size and cooking loss of the ingredients differ. Kitchen rounding also shifts the total slightly against the plain rule of three. Anyone who has to keep amounts exact for medical reasons, for example during a nutrition therapy prescribed by a doctor, should discuss them with a doctor or a registered dietitian. Your serving count is calculated in your browser only, it is neither stored nor transmitted.
Instructions
- Wash the courgettes and slice them thinly using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline. Finely chop the onion. If using frozen spinach, defrost it first.
- Soften half the onion in a frying pan with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and warm through. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cream cheese and let it melt into a creamy mixture, then set aside.
- Soften the remaining onion in a saucepan with a little olive oil. Stir in the tomato purée and Italian herbs, then deglaze with a splash of vegetable stock. Add the passata, season with pepper, salt and paprika, and bring briefly to the boil.
- Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C).
- Layer up a large ovenproof dish: start with a little tomato sauce, then a layer of courgette slices, then the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers until everything is used up, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce on top.
- Slice the tomato and arrange over the top layer of sauce, then scatter with the grated cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve with a light salad if you like.
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Nutrition facts per serving (estimate)
| Calories | 220 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fibre | 4 g |
| of which sugar | 7 g |
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this lasagne with aubergine?
Yes, you can swap some or all of the courgette layers for thin slices of aubergine.
Which cheese is best for the topping?
A melting gratin cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan all work well. You can also mix them together.
Is this lasagne really gluten-free?
Yes, there are no pasta sheets and all the listed ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Still, check the labels when you buy them to be sure.
Can I make it ahead and reheat it?
Yes, the baked lasagne keeps well covered in the fridge and can be reheated the next day at 180C (fan 160C) in the oven.
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