By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(173)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Lasagna doesn’t always have to be assembled and baked; it can be thrown together quickly, like a regular pasta dish. Use no-boil lasagna noodles for this deconstructed lasagna. Despite the name, they do require boiling here, but they will be lighter than regular lasagna noodles.
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves four
- 1pound asparagus, trimmed
- ½cup ricotta
- 1garlic clove, finely minced or preferably pureed
- 2tablespoons chopped chives or a combination of chives and slivered basil
- ½pound no-boil lasagna noodles
- ¼cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano (or a combination)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
309 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 141 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
Step
1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt generously and add the asparagus. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with cold water. Boil thin stalks for three minutes, thicker stalks for four to six minutes until tender. Using tongs, remove the asparagus from the pot and transfer to the bowl of cold water. Drain and cut on the diagonal into ¾-inch lengths.
Step
2
Add the lasagna noodles to the boiling water, and boil until cooked al dente -- firm to the bite. Meanwhile, place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl, and stir in the garlic. When the noodles are done, remove ½ cup of the pasta water, and add to the bowl with the ricotta. Mix together well, and add the asparagus, fresh herbs and Parmesan or pecorino to the bowl. Drain the lasagna, and toss with the ricotta mixture. Serve at once.
- Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 1 several hours ahead of serving, then cook the pasta just beforehand.
Ratings
4
out of 5
173
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Cooking Notes
Michael
If I made this again I would do it with any other type of pasta. The no boil lasagna noodle doesn't lend itself very well to the dish. Penne or fusilli would be a great substitute. I would also roast, sauté or grill the asparagus instead of boiling. The sauce can use some more flavor - don't be afraid to add a couple more cloves of garlic.
Sarah
As my partner said, "This has an appropriate taste for the level of effort involved." Not the most delicious dish ever, but it was easy and tasty enough.
I doubled the amount of ricotta and cheese because I hate it when the sauce barely covers the noodles. There was a bit too much then, but it would have been great to sop up with crusty bread. We also broiled the asparagus for extra flavor and it became the star of the dish.
Abby
Made this recipe with fresh asparagus, homemade pasta and added some prosciutto. It was fantastic!
bonvan
Admittedly I tweaked the recipe but definitely stuck to the spirit. As suggested I used garlic chives and more garlic and more ricotta than listed. Also as suggested I roasted the asparagus, however in the last 3 minutes I added half a pound of shrimp to the pan. I added lots of lemon zest and fresh basil to the sauce and used TJ's cauliflower gnocchi instead of pasta. It was phenomenal.
judy
The penne for the win! It’s shaped like the asparagus. I added more Parmesan on the served pasta.
Noe
enjoyed this super quick pasta. i like that it uses no oil. i substituted fresh spinach fettuccini for the lasagne noodles, blended a bit of pesto into the ricotta, and added some smoked trout for protein. i think it would be good with shrimp too.
Roxy
You should never cook asparagus for six minutes - it will be stringy and just plain awful...put in boiling water for 1-2 minute tops and that's for thicker spears.
Evelyn Pearl
Super easy weeknight meal that takes hardly any time at all, not to mention toddler approved. This may be a given, but I recommend being extra generous with the salt to help bring out the flavor. I also threw in an extra clove of garlic and broke the lasagna noodles into quarters for ease. On a night where I had the time, I might add a bit of lemon zest and a few more herbs like dill or parsley to spruce this up. Overall, a great dish to clear your pantry of leftover noodles.
Andrew
This wasn't bad - but I agree that it would have been better with another type of pasta. I also think that roasting/broiling the asparagus after boiling might have added some flavor.
Jaclyn
Curious how I might make this with frozen asparagus. I think I will quickly blanch it and try that.
bonvan
Admittedly I tweaked the recipe but definitely stuck to the spirit. As suggested I used garlic chives and more garlic and more ricotta than listed. Also as suggested I roasted the asparagus, however in the last 3 minutes I added half a pound of shrimp to the pan. I added lots of lemon zest and fresh basil to the sauce and used TJ's cauliflower gnocchi instead of pasta. It was phenomenal.
DNcgo
To brighten/heighten the flavor, i added the (microplaned) zest of one lemon and used garlic chives in addition to the basil. As mentioned in another comment, increasing the amount of cheese is welcome. I did this by adding "scoops" on each serving. Makes for an interesting presentation.
Sapelo
Cooking lasagna sheets and then trying to serve them without being able to cut them? Skip it. Good flavors but use pasta designed for plates instead of something that should be cut prior to serving...
Michael
If I made this again I would do it with any other type of pasta. The no boil lasagna noodle doesn't lend itself very well to the dish. Penne or fusilli would be a great substitute. I would also roast, sauté or grill the asparagus instead of boiling. The sauce can use some more flavor - don't be afraid to add a couple more cloves of garlic.
Abby
Made this recipe with fresh asparagus, homemade pasta and added some prosciutto. It was fantastic!
Julia
I really liked this recipe. It was easy to do and very tasty with a very "fresh" feeling. We had to salt generously, so next time I think I will try it with Pecorino romano instead to get a stronger and saltier taste.
Sarah
As my partner said, "This has an appropriate taste for the level of effort involved." Not the most delicious dish ever, but it was easy and tasty enough.
I doubled the amount of ricotta and cheese because I hate it when the sauce barely covers the noodles. There was a bit too much then, but it would have been great to sop up with crusty bread. We also broiled the asparagus for extra flavor and it became the star of the dish.
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