Lasagna with Spinach and Baked Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

Since lasagna and baked rigatoni dishes share most of the basic same ingredients, when I prep several at a time, it is easiest to just prepare them together.  My dad loves Italian foods, so these are great to make up in big batches for freezing.  With the directions below, it will make about 6 freezer meals with about 2 servings.  

Ingredients:  

~5 cups of prepared meat sauce 

~5 cups of prepared vodka meat sauce

1/2 box lasagna noodles

1/2 box rigatoni noodles

1/2lb baby spinach, coarsely chopped

16oz ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

parsley (fresh if possible)

12oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt

pepper

*optional, slices of seared Italian sausage for topping

Directions:

1.  Par boil the pasta with a splash of olive oil and salt.  I use a big spaghetti pot on the stove for about 3 or 4 minutes at boil, but you could also just do it in the Instant Pot for Manual 2 minutes, and then a Controlled Quick Release (open the vent halfway and cover with a towel).  Drain pasta and shock with cold water to prevent it from continuing to cook.

2.  Prepare the cheese stuffing.  In a big mixing bowl, put in your ricotta, one beaten egg, chopped parsley, chopped spinach,1/2 of the mozzarella, and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese.  Mix together.  

3.  Have 6 oven safe glasslock containers ready, I first spray them with Pam, but they would be fine without.  Pour in one cup of either the meat sauce of vodka sauce in each container.  

4.  Put on layer of pasta.

5.  Put on a generous layer of ricotta mixture (about 1/2 inch or more)

6.  Put on 1 more cup of sauce or until evenly covered.  Add on the slices of seared Italian sausage if desired.  

7.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.  

8.  Cover with the snap lid, and then refrigerate overnight.  Transfer to deep freezer.  

Follow this link to my post about reheating using the Instant Pot>  reheating-frozen-meals-using-instant-pot

Hope you enjoy this easy recipe.  If you give it a try, would love to hear how it comes out for you!