A decent amount of béchamel keeps this tomato-less lasagna moist as it cools.
Recipe information
Yield
12 Servings
Ingredients
Béchamel
3
3
3
2½
Lasagna and Assembly
12
¼
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
8
Preparation
Béchamel
Step 1
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foaming. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Add milk 1 cup at a time, whisking to incorporate after each addition. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and add Parmesan, whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth; season béchamel with salt and pepper.
Lasagna and Assembly
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes less than package directions; you want them to be very al dente so they won’t become mushy when baked. Drain noodles and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet; turn noodles to coat (this will prevent them from sticking to one another and make them easier to handle).
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a few handfuls of greens and cook, tossing and adding more greens as they wilt, until all greens are tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Combine ricotta, eggs, thyme, and lemon zest in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Lightly oil a 13x9" pan. Arrange noodles to cover bottom of pan, cutting to fit as needed. Spread one-third of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles, then top evenly with one-third of cooked greens. Spoon one-quarter of béchamel over greens, spreading evenly to cover. Add another layer of noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, starting with noodles and ending with béchamel. Top with a final layer of noodles, then spread with remaining béchamel. Scatter mozzarella over top.
Step 6
Bake lasagna until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 45–50 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.
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Reviews (13)
Back to TopI can’t wait to make this again- and make a double recipe so I can freeze even more and eat it again and again! The lemon zest in the ricotta brings the perfect brightness to the whole thing. I was concerned about it being dry based on another review- but there was actually moisture from the greens that came up through the top layer of mozzarella while cooking and then settled back in while it rested. Not dry at all- followed directions very closely. I’ll chop the greens up a little finer next time (they were roughly 1/1.5” squares this time). I also was done with the béchamel a little early in the process so it cooled and got a little clumpy- easily remedied by reheating on the stove and whisking in a couple tablespoons of milk to loosen it back up. Overall this just feels like a luxurious dish- a totally unique take on classic lasagna that deserves a category all its own!
Anonymous
Atlanta, GA
5/25/2020
This was highly disappointing. As others have said, many steps and many pans to wash - which I don’t mind if the result is worth it but really resented here when the outcome was so insipid. The ratios were all wrong - it was incredibly dry and not at all succulent and luxurious as I had imagined with all the creamy elements, and it was incredibly bland. Yes, I could have seasoned each element more, but there were a lot of them and I didn’t want it to end up a salt lick when they all came together. There should have been more guidance on some of the components, i.e. 1/2 tsp salt (or whatever tested amount would be a safe start) in the bechamel + more to taste, rather than adding an indeterminate amount of salt to every component. Also the dry, cakey ricotta was unforgivable.
Anonymous
Minneapolis
5/11/2020
My 27-year old son and I thoroughly enjoyed our kitchen time together and the resulting lasagna for our family following this recipe two nights ago. Like most people who love cooking we made some creative changes yet remained loyal to the basic directions and ingredients. It is an awesome béchamel recipe with perfect guidance, and proportions of butter, flour, and milk. Since 2% milk was on hand, about a cup of half and half was substituted for one of the 3 cups of whole milk which worked well. Fresh baby spinach and mushrooms were added to a pan to steam atop the pound of ground lean chicken breast As it finished cooking, along with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The number of alternating layers were awesome and contributed to the texture and flavors. The only thing I was not 100% happy with was my own decision to resort to what I had thought was a tried-and-true-idea by not pre-cooking the lasagna noodles. I had not received any negative feedback about it before this evening as we were cooking and talking about it, and obviously, my son’s comment was right! It made the top edges of the lasagna and mozzarella rise up a little, which was only a bit crispy and brown, but it by all means was still an excellent dinner! Thanks for this.
Anonymous
North Carolina, U. S. A.
1/22/2020
This was pretty solid! The amount of greens looked insane, but they really do cook down a lot and the proportions in the lasagna of greens to cheese/pasta was spot on. Make sure you diligently season each component or this could turn out very bland. I think we forgot to season the ricotta and it definitely stood out in a bad way. The only thing I might change up next time is adding a little bit of oil or milk or something to the ricotta mixture - the overall texture of the lasagna was a little dry and it could have used some more moisture. Lastly, this dish required A LOT of dishes/pots/pans/etc. and took about an hour and a half to prep before going in the oven, so it's probably best for a weekend project.
soapnana
Chicago, IL
4/25/2019