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When you want a traditional lasagna but don’t have the time to make it, try this skillet idea. You will love it.
I cannot believe how good this recipe was. The pesto ricotta balls were awesome and the color they add is great. Maybe the dish is wonderful because of all the cheese? The recipe has plenty of ricotta and plenty of mozzarella. I began the base of the sauce with tomatoes but used the end of the bottle of RAO’S MARINARA that I had in the fridge. Rao’s sauce is the best bottled sauce I have tried.
Gluten Free Skillet Pesto Lasagna
Looking back at earlier recipes, I see this BAKED PASTA recipe that was very cheesy. How about this PASTA PESTO BAKE that has pasta smothered in pesto underneath all this melt-y cheese. Another recipe I really loved was making a RED PEPPER PASTA BAKE using the red pepper pasta I had made the day before. The key to all these dishes is that they started with a great pasta sauce base. The cheese just took it over the top.
The dish has quite a number of steps to follow but they are each pretty darn simple. The sauce begins by sautéing a mirepoix and adding spices. It builds with garlic, tomato paste, the tomatoes and tomato sauce. After the sauce is simmered, the gluten free noodles are added until soft. The spinach is added and finished with adding the cheese and the pesto ricotta balls.
The marinara sauce ingredients.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients
The spice ingredients.
Spice Ingredients
Making the pesto ricotta balls.
Making the Pesto Ricotta Balls
The building of the pesto skillet lasagna.
Building of the Pesto Skillet Lasagna
The gluten free skillet pesto lasagna.
Gluten Free Skillet Pesto Lasagna
Gluten Free Skillet Pesto Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Gluten free lasagna pasta
Marinara Sauce
- 2 Whole Carrots diced
- 2 Stalks Celery rough chop
- 3/4 Whole Onion diced
- 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 30 Ounces Canned Tomatoes
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 3 Ounces Rao's marinara sauce
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 2 Tsp Basil
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Lemon pepper
- 1/4 Tsp Red pepper flakes
Pesto Ricotta Balls
- 1 Bunch Basil
- 1/4 Cup Italian parsley
- 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
- 4 Cloves Garlic chopped
- 1/8 Cup Lemon juice
- 1/8 Cup Olive oil
- 12 Ounces Ricotta dived
Remaining Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Parsley
- 1 Bunch Fresh spinach
- 4 Ounces Shredded Mozzarella
Instructions
Marinara Sauce
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Begin by heating the oil in a Dutch oven. Once simmering, add the mirepoix and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook for 1 minute to cook out the bitterness of the paste. Now add in all the sauce and spices and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pesto Ricotta Balls
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Combine all the ingredients except for the ricotta in a food processor. Blend into a paste. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and add 9 ounces of the ricotta. Mix until fully combined. With a spoon or ice cream scooper, form into balls.
Finishing off the Dish
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Add the noodles to the tomato sauce and cook stirring occasionally. It will take 15 - 20 minutes for the noodles to soften. Add the parsley and mix well. Finish by adding the spinach and cooks until wilted. The last step is to drop in the remaining ricotta, followed by the mozzarella, and then, the pesto ricotta balls. Cook for 2 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
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