This twist on traditional lasagna is one of our new favorites. I found this recipe on Pinterest and posted it below. In parentheses I’m sharing a few modifications I made.
Lasagna al Pesto Recipe
Lasagna al Pesto (Pesto Lasagna) is a cheesy homemade Italian lasagna recipe. Made with three cheeses, noodles + a creamy bechamel basil pesto sauce. A comfort food perfect for cold weather and winter. Bonus- it’s vegetarian.
Prep Time30minutes mins
Cook Time- about 1hour
Resting Time-15minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- Baking dish (9×9 inches)
- Large pot
Ingredients
Bechamel Pesto Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups basil pesto
Cheese Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ Tablespoon dried basil or 2 Tablespoons fresh, chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Lasagna
- 5 lasagna noodles (I cook the whole box)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare the Noodles
- Cook the noodles in a large pot of water as per package direction. While al dente drain and toss with a little olive oil to help prevent sticking. Set aside.
Make the Pesto Béchamel Sauce
- Make your basil pesto, if not done already. Store bought works too!
- In a medium or large pot melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour and stir to combine. Cook 30-60 seconds.
- Whisk in the milk, salt, and black pepper. Cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens, approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the pesto and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Prepare Cheese Mixture
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the cheese mixture ingredients. Season to taste with salt, basil, and pepper.
Assembly
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spread ½ cup of the pesto sauce across the bottom of a 9 by 9 baking dish.
- Cut the lasagna noodles in half to turn each one into shorter strips. Lay three strips across the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping. (I overlap 4 noodles horizontally with one piece cut to fit across the end for each layer)
- Dollop 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the noodles and gently spread across the noodles.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top of the cheese mixture, followed by 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan.
- Scoop and gently spread 1 cup of the pesto sauce across the cheeses.
- Repeat another layer of noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella, Parmesan, and pesto sauce. You should be out of the ricotta cheese mixture at this time.
- Prepare the top layer by laying out the third layer of noodles. Top with the remaining pesto sauce, approximately 1.5 cups (unless you want to save some for serving).
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan.
- Cover with tin foil or a lid and bake for approximately 50 minutes. The edges of the dish should be bubbling and the top cheese melted. Remove the lid/foil and finish baking 10-15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. (Want a darker top? Remove the cover earlier or turn on the broiler for a few minutes).
- Remove from oven and let sit 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
This is SO good and a great alternative to traditional lasagne.
Bon Appetite! Kristen