This black bean lasagna with spinach is vegetarian but packs in so much flavor and comfort, you won’t even miss the meat.
Loaded with black beans, spinach, two kinds of cheese, and plenty of sauce, there’s all kinds of hearty goodness in every single bite.
Spinach Black Bean Lasagna Ingredients
Scroll down to the printable recipe card to get started cooking!
- 2 eggs
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 10 frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 2 15.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 26-ounce jars of spaghetti sauce ( I love arrabbiata)
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
Substitutions and Additions
- If you don’t have fresh cilantro, you could use dried cilantro. It doesn’t have the same punch, but it’s better than nothing.
- If you can’t find no-boil lasagna noodles (both Barilla and Ronzoni have some), boil regular lasagna noodles a few minutes less than al dente and use those.
- Italian cheese blend, mozzarella, or even Mexican cheese blend could be used in place of one of the other cheese blends.
- Choose a full-flavored spaghetti sauce or one with some kick. My go-to is this spicy sauce from Rao’s; it’s a few bucks more, but man, is it good!
- If you’re a meat-lover, you could add some cooked chicken, ground beef or sausage to the sauce layer.
How to make Black Bean Lasagna with Spinach
In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, ricotta, spinach, salt, and fresh cilantro; set aside.
In another medium bowl, mix the two types of shredded cheese; set aside.
In a third bowl, mix spaghetti sauce, black beans, and cumin.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and place half of the lasagna noodles across the bottom—layer half of the spinach mixture, half of the cheese mixture, and half of the sauce mixture. Repeat the layers and pour on the other jar of spaghetti sauce.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about an hour.
Let sit for 10 minutes or so. Cut into 16 pieces and dig in! Serve with some crusty bread or Texas toast and a refreshing salad.
FAQ ABOUT BLACK BEAN LASAGNA
If I don’t use oven-ready lasagna, should I still bake it for an hour?
If you use partially boiled noodles (as mentioned in the substitutions above), you can probably cook the black bean lasagna for 45 minutes, but still, let it rest at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Do I have to cover the lasagna?
Yes. When using no-boil lasagna noodles, it’s essential. However, if you like crusty edges on your lasagna, you could take the foil off when it’s done and bake for an extra 10 minutes to crisp it a bit.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Sure! Assemble the lasagna as directed, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight. If you have time to let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking to take some of the chill off, that would be ideal. If not, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Can you freeze leftover spinach and black bean lasagna?
Yep. I freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers and reheat them in the microwave. Because it’s nice and saucy, it doesn’t get as dried out when reheated.
Try these other lasagna recipes too:
Black Bean Lasagna with Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 eggs beaten
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 10 oz frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 2 15.5 oz cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 26 ounce jars spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, spinach, salt and cilantro; set aside.
- In separate bowl, combine cheeses.
- In separate bowl, add 1 jar spaghetti sauce, cumin and black beans, mixing well.
- Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking dish layer half the lasagna, spinach mixture, cheese mixture and bean mixture. Repeat the layers. Pour the remaining jar of sauce over the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour.
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