cheesy pesto white lasagna
A meat-free, tomato-free lasagna. Very rich with lots of cheese!
No Image
prep time
1 Hr
cook time
45 Min
method
Bake
yield
6 to 8
Ingredients
- WHITE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust based on butter used and taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated preferred)
- 2 tablespoons marsala wine, sherry or other wine to flavor)
- SAUTEED VEGETABLES
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 or 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
- NOODLES
- large pot water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 pound dry lasagna noodles
- OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch , spinach, fresh, or 10 oz. package frozen spinach
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
- 6 to 8 ounces prepared basil pesto
- 1 pound ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano (or parmesan) cheese, grated
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
How To Make cheesy pesto white lasagna
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Step 1In a small saucepan, melt butter and slowly stir flour. Use whisk to avoid lumps.
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Step 2Slowly add milk and heat to simmering, whisking to avoid lumps, boiling over and scalding.
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Step 3Take white sauce off the heat, whisk in salt, white pepper, nutmeg and wine. Set sauce aside.
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Step 4In a medium skillet, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add mushrooms and shallots, stir and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, stirring to mix. After an additional 1 minute saute, remove from heat and set aside.
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Step 5Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to water.
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Step 6When water is at a boil, turn off burner, add noodles, making sure noodles are totally submerged.
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Step 7Cover and allow noodles to sit in the hot water about 30 minutes. Noodles will be soft but al dente.
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Step 8Blanche and wring out spinach, chop. If using frozen spinach, just thaw and wring out if needed.
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Step 9Roughly chop parsley, discarding tough stems.
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Step 10Ladle about 1/2 cup of white sauce onto bottom of 8 1/2" x 11 1/2" glass baking dish. Spread sauce to cover the bottom and cover the bottom with 3 soft lasagna noodles.
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Step 11In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, pesto, sauteed vegetables, spinach, and grated cheese and remainder of white sauce. Stir until well mixed.
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Step 12Cut fresh fresh mozzarella into 1/4" slices. Distribute a third of the mozzarella slices on the first layer of noodles.
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Step 13Spread about 1/3 of the cheese mixture onto the noodles and mozzarella.
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Step 14Repeat noodles, mozzarella, cheese mixture twice more, resulting the three layers. making sure the final layer of cheese mixture extends to the sides of the pan.
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Step 15Distribute provolone cheese slices to cover the casserole. Distribute shredded parmesan on the provolone.
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Step 16At this point, the casserole may be cooked immediately or refrigerated for several hours.
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Step 17About 1 hour before the lasagna is to be served, preheat oven to 375F.
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Step 18When oven comes to temperature, place casserole on middle shelf of over. It the lasagna fills the pan to the top edge, put a sheet pan under the lasagna to catch any boil over.
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Step 19Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
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Step 20Leftover lasagna may be portioned and frozen. To serve frozen, cooked lasagna, defrost in microwave and heat. Check internal heat with a thermometer before serving.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
Discover More
Category:
Pasta
Culture:
Italian
Diet:
Vegetarian
Ingredient:
Pasta
Method:
Bake
Keyword:
#tomato-free
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