I Tried Giada De Laurentiis’ Sheet Pan Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium Red Onion (diced)
• 1 clove Garlic (minced)
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin preferred)
• 4 cups Fresh Spinach (roughly 5 oz, sautéed then strained)
• 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional for heat)
• 12 ounces Spicy Italian Sausage (removed from casing, crumbled)
• 2 cups Marinara Sauce (store‑bought or homemade)
• 8 pieces Lasagna Sheets (broken into ~2‑inch pieces (about 4‑5 pieces per sheet))
• 1 tablespoon Salt (for pasta water and seasoning)
• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese (full‑fat, room temperature)
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (part‑skim, shredded)
• 1.5 cups Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)

Instructions

1. Prepare vegetables

   Dice the red onion, mince the garlic clove, and roughly chop the fresh spinach using kitchen scissors.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sauté spinach

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium‑high heat. Add the minced garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, stirring for 30 seconds, then add the chopped spinach. Cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Medium‑high

3. Strain excess moisture

   Transfer the wilted spinach to a fine‑mesh strainer and press gently with the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible.

   Time: PT1M

4. Cook sausage

   In the same skillet add another 1 tbsp olive oil, then add the crumbled spicy Italian sausage. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium

5. Sauté onion

   Add the diced red onion to the sausage and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: Medium

6. Add marinara

   Stir in the marinara sauce, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer gently while you finish the pasta, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Low

7. Boil pasta

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season generously with salt, then add the broken lasagna sheets. Cook for exactly 4 minutes until al dente.

   Time: PT4M

   Temperature: Boiling

8. Reserve pasta water

   Using a measuring cup, scoop out ½ cup of the hot pasta cooking water and set aside.

   Time: PT1M

9. Drain pasta

   Drain the pasta in a colander; do not rinse.

   Time: PT1M

10. Make ricotta‑spinach mixture

    In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, strained spinach, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth.

    Time: PT2M

11. Assemble in sheet pan

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a 15×8‑inch sheet pan, combine the cooked pasta, sausage‑onion sauce, and the ricotta‑spinach mixture. Toss gently to coat everything evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1 cup grated Parmesan over the top.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 425°F

12. Bake to crispy perfection

    Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 400°F and continue baking another 5‑10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden‑brown and the edges are crisp.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: 425°F then 400°F

13. Rest before serving

    Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for 5‑10 minutes. This allows the cheese to set and makes slicing easier.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

3 g