Cheese lasagna with pesto and veggies! Great meal to prep for the fridge or freezer.
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As classic as lasagna is, it doesn’t come to my mind in the summer. But summer ingredients like fresh herbs and dark leafy greens make for a lasagna so tasty, you might want to reconsider it as a summer dish.
The richness of three cheeses — parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella — contrasts beautifully with a creamy basil pesto and smooth greens in this lasagna. Sautéed mushrooms add a meatiness that still feels light, and a healthy knob of garlic keeps things alive.
This recipe has multiple steps, and you must prepare each layer before you can cook the lasagna. This makes it more of a weekend recipe than a weekday recipe, but leftovers are great throughout the week.
How to freeze this three cheese lasagna
Lasagna is a great meal to make ahead and freeze. To learn the best way to freeze this casserole, follow the instructions in the link below.
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From the editors of Simply Recipes
Three Cheese Pesto Lasagna
ingredients
For the pesto (makes about 1 1/2 cups):
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4 cups easily packed basil leaves (Above 4 ounces)
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2 medium cloves garlicchopped
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1/2 Cup pine nuts
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1 cup grated parmesan (Above 3 ounces)
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1/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoon Freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or slightly less if you use table salt)
For the fried mushrooms:
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1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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2 medium cloves garlicchopped
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1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
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2 Cup sliced cremini or brown mushroom caps (about 6 ounces)
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or slightly less if you use table salt)
For the Greens:
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1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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4 cups packed loosly spinach
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4 cups packed loosly cabbage leaveschopped
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or slightly less if you use table salt)
For the cheese sauce:
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2 tablespoon butter
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2 tablespoon flour
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2 cups milk
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1 cup grated parmesan (Above 3 ounces)
For the ricotta mixture:
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2 big eggs
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1 (15- to 16-ounce) tub ricotta
Prepare the Lasagna:
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1 lb Lasagna Noodles
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2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
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8th ounces Mozzarellacut and torn into rough half-moon pieces
special equipment
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food processor
method
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Make the pesto:
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine the basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts. Scrape down sides as needed. With the food processor running, add the parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Put aside. (This makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto.)
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Prepare mushrooms:
Set a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then garlic, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Cook 1 minute, turn heat to medium and add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté mushrooms for about 4 minutes until they start to release their water. Pour into a bowl.
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Prepare the green:
In the same pan the mushrooms were cooked in, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, add the spinach and kale in 4 batches, salting each in the pan. Cook until vegetables are fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water and place the vegetables in a bowl.
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Prepare cheese sauce:
In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and then cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Next, gradually stir in the milk, adding a splash at a time, allowing the mixture to thicken between additions; This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Once all the milk has been added, cook the mixture for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup grated parmesan.
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Prepare the ricotta mixture:
Beat eggs lightly. Fold in the ricotta. Put aside.
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Cooking Lasagna Noodles:
Bring a large soup pot with water to a boil. Salt plenty of water and cook the pasta until malleable but still has plenty of bite. Toss the pasta with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and set aside.
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When you are ready to assemble and bake the lasagna:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
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Assemble Lasagna:
Spread 4 cooked noodles lengthways on the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle half of the vegetables over the ricotta. Pour 1 cup of cheese sauce over the veggies, sprinkle over half the mushrooms, and drizzle with 1/2 cup of pesto. Add another layer of pasta and repeat the layering.
Add a final layer of pasta and top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese sauce, dab with the remaining 1/2 cup pesto, and sprinkle with mozzarella slices. Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.
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Bake Lasagna:
Place the lasagna on a tray to catch drips and slide into the hot oven. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling vigorously and the mozzarella is bubbly and golden in spots. Let cool for 15 minutes, slice and serve.
Warm up leftover lasagne: Cover with foil and heat in an oven at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until piping hot.
Freeze and reheat whole lasagna: Cook the lasagne fully and let cool. Cover the mold with a piece of foil pressed against the surface and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, peel the foil off the frozen lasagna and retrieve the pan (so that the foil is no longer touching the lasagna but is covering the pan). Heat in a 350°F oven for 70 to 90 minutes until cheese is melted and center is piping hot. Uncover in the last 10 minutes if you want a more brown crust.
Freeze and reheat individual portions: Cook the lasagne fully and let cool. Wrap individual servings tightly in aluminum foil, transfer to a sealable freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To warm up, unwrap the portions, place in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Heat at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes until cheese is melted and the center of each portion is hot.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 619 | calories |
| 40g | Fat |
| 37g | carbohydrates |
| 30g | protein |
