Spring Vegetable Lasagna White Sauce (Print Version)
Creamy layers of fresh spring vegetables and béchamel sauce combine in this tender pasta dish.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup asparagus tips, cut into 2-inch pieces
04 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
05 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
06 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Cheese Filling
10 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
11 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 large egg
→ Béchamel White Sauce
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 3 cups whole milk
17 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
→ Pasta
20 - 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, squash, asparagus, leek, and peas. Sauté 5-7 minutes until just tender. Stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
03 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to gentle simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Remove from heat.
04 - Combine ricotta, egg, and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a small bowl. Mix until well incorporated.
05 - Spread thin layer of béchamel on bottom of 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer 3 noodles over sauce. Top with 1/3 ricotta mixture, 1/3 sautéed vegetables, 1/3 mozzarella, and 1/4 béchamel. Repeat layers twice more. Finish with remaining noodles, béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
06 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake additional 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The white sauce lets delicate spring vegetables shine instead of hiding them under heavy red sauce
- It hits that perfect middle ground between comforting and fresh
- Your kitchen will smell like butter and nutmeg for hours
02 -
- The vegetables release water while cooking so don't skip the step of sautéing them first
- Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes or you'll lose those pretty layers when you cut it
- Béchamel thickens as it cools so don't panic if it seems thin in the pan
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre grated it melts better
- Room temperature ingredients create a smoother béchamel
- Run your knife through asparagus and peas again after chopping to make sure no piece is too large