Skillet Lasagna With Spinach and Summer Squash

By Sarah Copeland

Skillet Lasagna With Spinach and Summer Squash
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(1,118)
Comments
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Lasagna in the summer? It’s fine food for those long, breezy summer days when you need to fill your belly without turning on the oven. This one-pan stovetop lasagna is a true crowd-pleaser, with rich tomato, oozing cheese and just enough squash and spinach to skip salad for the night. Using no-cook lasagna, you can cook this entirely over a low flame, covered. (Use foil if you don’t have a lid that fits your pan.) Be sure to start with a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, and never let the tomato sauce boil, which can be hard on your pan and on the flavor of your sauce. If your cast-iron seasoning isn’t in tip-top shape, try this in a stainless-steel skillet instead; you’ll still get all the depth and aroma, and that same stove-to-table ease that will make this a repeat meal all year long.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1zucchini, chopped (6 ounces)
  • 1yellow squash, chopped (10 ounces)
  • 2packed cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1(28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1teaspoon salt
  • ½teaspoon black pepper
  • 8sheets (half a 9-ounce package) no-cook or oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 8ounces fresh ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
  • 1½ounces finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (about ⅓ cup)
  • 8ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  • Handful of small basil leaves, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

564 calories; 29 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 1074 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a well-seasoned large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until softening, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 5 minutes more. Increase the heat to medium, add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook until soft and lightly golden, 10 minutes more, adding the spinach in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Stir constantly until the spinach is wilted. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a plate.

  2. Step 2

    While the vegetables cook, crush the tomatoes with a potato masher in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a thin layer over the bottom of the pan (about ⅓ of the tomatoes). Add 4 lasagna sheets, breaking off the edges to fit into the curved edges of the pan. Top with half the vegetables, and drop half the ricotta by spoonfuls over the top. Repeat with another ⅓ of the tomatoes, the remaining vegetables and ricotta. Top with another layer of 4 lasagna sheets, the remaining sauce, and layer the Parmesan and mozzarella over the top.

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover and cook over a low simmer until the pasta is soft and the cheese has completely melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook on medium-high until the tomato has thickened, 5 minutes more. Set aside to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, before cutting. Sprinkle basil and more Parmesan over the lasagna and serve.

Tip
  • Some cast-iron skillets come with a matching lid, which is useful for making the skillet operate a bit like a mini stove-top oven, cooking evenly and basting the food with flavor and steam. If you don’t have one, use a lid from another pan, or two layers of thick foil, folded at the center and large enough to cover your pan.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,118 user ratings
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Comments

MissMarple

This was a solid recipe (easily assembled while hanging out with my 1-yr old) but I thought it looked a little underwhelming at the end so I just popped it in the oven at 450 for 15 minutes to crisp up the top. I think that’s an entirely worthwhile extra step if you can bear to turn on the oven.

GAD

Cooked all steps in a Dutch oven to see if this has potential for a camping meal. Added one pound of pork sausage and browned it with the onions. Used entire pasta sheets across as they fit easily in the DO. This has potential in the outdoor camp kitchen.

max

This was a really tasty, light lasagna. I made it in the Dutch oven. It was a bit watery from the zucchini/squash and tomato, so next time I’ll probably use an extra can and drain the tomatoes before crushing. I also used almost double the ricotta.

HavanaGeo

If you don’t lick the plate after making this, you’ll want to, but just have better manners. I followed another reviewer and substituted NYT marinara. Brown 1 lb Italian sausage 1/2 pieces Remove sausage sop up fat and remove bits Add NYT marinara Re-add sausage Add 10 lasagna sheets broken into 2 inches Submerge lasagna Simmer low 10 minutes Flip lasagna noodles Simmer 10 minutes Remove from heat Add 1/2 cup Parmesan Add separate tablespoon ricotta dots 16 ozs Let stand 10 minutes Serve

Susan A

I haven’t made this but can’t figure out how the noodles could cook in such short cooking time? They take minimum 30 mins in a bit oven when I make more traditional lasagna. Also wouldn’t the bottom burn? Seems like it would be difficult for heat to distribute evenly through layers of noodles. Ok, guess I have to try it and see!

Jackie

It took 3x the original time to cook the noodles as they weren't submerged in the liquid at the beginning and remained hard. I tweaked the recipe and added mild Italian sausages, extra zucchini, and an 8oz jar of tomato sauce. In the future, I will follow Babish's suggestion, break the noodles into bite-sized pieces, and mix them with the sauce. Results were delicious!!

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