Lasagna: compare the 2 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Fastest Spinach RicottaReady in 1 hr 40 min; the other takes 2 hr 20 min.
- Easiest Spinach RicottaMedium like the other, but 13 steps against 17.
- Least cleanup Spinach Ricotta5 things to wash: stockpot, 9x13 baking dish, sheet pan, mixing bowl, colander.
- Vegetarian Spinach RicottaThe only one that fits vegetarian, going by the ingredient lines.
Side by side
| Classic Meat Sauce | Spinach Ricotta | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 2 hr 20 min | 1 hr 40 min |
| Prep | 30 min | 30 min |
| Level | Medium | Medium |
| Steps | 17 | 13 |
| Serves | 12 | 10 |
| Key ingredients | ground beef, Italian sausage and crushed tomatoes | frozen chopped spinach, ricotta and marinara sauce |
| Only in this one | ground beef, Italian sausage, onion and garlic | frozen chopped spinach, ground nutmeg and marinara sauce |
| Dietary | ||
| Calories | 530 | 490 |
| Protein | 30 g | 26 g |
| Carbs | 29 g | 40 g |
| Fat | 33 g | 26 g |
| Cleanup | 1/5 6 things to wash | 2/5 5 things to wash |
| Kid helper | No | No |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.