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“No bake” is one of my favorite ways to make lasagna (especially in summer ! since no oven is required you don’t have to heat up the house !) With “no bake” lasagna you get all the saucy, cheesy pasta deliciousness of traditional lasagna but in a much lighter and healthier version.
“No bake” lasagna requires cooking the pasta noodles but does not require baking in the oven. There are so many options for what to layer in between the noodles. So easy to highlight fresh in season ingredients. Today’s no bake lasagna features in season ripe tomatoes and spinach accompanied by chicken sausage (your favorite variety ) and feta cheese.
The process of making no bake lasagna is really easy! You’ll cook the lasagna noodles according to package direction (make sure you get regular noodles not “no cook”) . Once the noodles are cooked, rinsed and drained you’ll want to find a non-stick surface to lay the noodles out flat. You don’t want them to stick together. (if they do, you can run them under warm water and gently separate them).
Cut the noodles in half. Each piece of lasagna will require a total of 1 ½ lasagna noodles (3 half noodles) .
For this recipe we are using fully cooked chicken sausage (like Aidells brand) but you are going to want to warm the sausage. I prefer to do that in a fry pan on the stove because I like when the sausage gets a little brown on the outside. You could certainly warm in the microwave as an alternative. If you are wanting to keep things vegetarian you could sub any of your favorite veggies (zucchini would be delish!)
Cook the tomatoes (in a skillet) for a few minutes until they get slightly soft (about 2-3). Turn the heat off the skillet and add the spinach ( if you are going to opt for vegetarian version you would want to add the zucchini while cooking the tomatoes)
I opted to warm up the marinara sauce in a separate pan (because I like the separation of the sauce from the tomatoes and spinach) but you could definitely save a pan and warm the marinara at the same time you are cooking the tomatoes.
To assemble the lasagna, start by laying a noodle (one of the cut ½ noodles) on a plate, spreading a thin layer of marinara (or more according to your taste).
Top with tomatoes and spinach. Add sausage pieces (approx.. ½ sausage) and a sprinkling of feta cheese.
Add another noodle and repeat.
Top with a final noodle, a layer of marinara, a spoon of the tomato and spinach mixture and a sprinkling of feta
For more no bake lasagna ideas check out No Bake Fresh Vegetable Summer Lasagna
{No Bake}Spinach Tomato and Feta Lasagna
Ingredients
- 6 dried lasagna noodles
- 1 cup grape tomatoes or cherry, halved
- 1 lb. fully cooked chicken sausage links like Aidells brand- your favorite variety (I used spinach/feta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 5- oz. package baby spinach
- ½ cup marinara sauce add more if you like saucy lasagna
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles. Lay each noodle out flat on non stick surface (you don't want noodles to stick together).
- Cut sausage links in half lengthwise and then into bite size pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until light brown. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
- Add tomatoes to the skillet , cook until slightly soft. (approx. 2-3 min) Turn off heat, add spinach, set aside.
- Warm marinara sauce in a small pan (or the microwave). set aside
- Cut cooked lasagna noodles in half. Assemble lasagna by layering one of the ½ noodles with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Top with tomato and spinach mixture. Add sausage pieces(about ½ sausage) and a sprinkling of feta cheese. Repeat. Add the final ½ noodle, a layer of marinara sauce, followed by additional spinach and tomato mixture. ( A total of 3 noodles (½ noodles) will used for each piece of lasagna) . Sprinkle with feta and serve.
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