Clam, spinach, and cheese casserole recipe

Seafood lasagna style casseroles are creamy and packed with sharp seafood flavor. This clam, spinach, and cheese casserole recipe promises to be delicious with its Monterey jack and ricotta cheeses. You can even assemble this casserole the day before you cook it. If you want to make it ahead, cover and refrigerate after it is completely assembled and then bake at your convenience.

Recipe ingredients:

8 ounces lasagna noodles

2 6-1/2 ounce cans minced clams

4 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 8-ounce bottle clam juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Pepper to taste

1 pint cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach

1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Before you begin cooking, make sure that you have the chopped spinach thawed out. Squeeze as much water out of it as you can. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse with cool water.

To begin making the clam sauce, drain the canned clams and reserve the liquid. Set both aside. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook until bubbling. Begin to slowly add the reserved clam liquid and the bottle of clam juice. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. After about 5 minutes, remove it from the heat and stir in the clams, garlic, Italian seasonings, parsley, and lemon juice. Add pepper to suit your taste.

Spread a little olive oil around a 13 x 9 baking pan and then line it with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread the ricotta or cottage cheese over the noodles and pour one third of the clam sauce over the cheese layer. Place a second layer of noodles and cover it with the spinach. Use half of the slices of Monterey jack cheese to cover the spinach layer. Spread another third of the clam sauce over the cheese. Put a final layer of noodles down and top with sliced cheese and clam sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Allow the casserole to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

© Falbe Publishing.

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