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Extra-Cheesy White Lasagna

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Credit: Kelli Foster

If creamy pasta makes you weak in the knees, white lasagna is going to be right up your alley. You’ve got to try it! Unlike lasagnas made with marinara, you won’t find a drop of red sauce in sight. Here you’ll find layers of hearty pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, Italian sausage crumbles, and an entire pound of fresh spinach. But what makes white lasagna so special and totally irresistible is the impossibly creamy white sauce that’s blanketed throughout the casserole. Ready to get cooking?

What Is the White Sauce in Lasagna Made Of?

The white sauce used in this lasagna is béchamel . It’s thick and incredibly creamy, although not too rich or heavy. Béchamel is one of the five building-block sauces in French cuisine , and is made with a roux (equal parts butter and flour) mixed with milk, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and often a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Where Do You Put the White Sauce in Lasagna?

Like all lasagnas, white lasagna is assembled in layers, and you’ll add the white sauce to several places.

• Bottom of the pan. A thin layer of sauce spread over the bottom of the pan prevents the noodles from sticking to the pan.
• Between the layers. A heaping cup of sauce is added to the top of each layer, over the mozzarella.
• Over the top layer of noodles. A layer of sauce spread over the top layer of noodles prevents them from drying out in the oven.

How Many Layers Should Lasagna Be?

This lasagna is made with two loaded layers of filling. It’s just the right amount to fill a standard 9×13-inch baking dish without spilling over, and creates a well-proportioned casserole that’s easy to cut into neat squares.

Each layer of the lasagna is assembled with noodles, ricotta cheese, cooked crumbled sausage, wilted spinach, shredded mozzarella cheese, and béchamel sauce. The casserole is then topped off with an additional layer of noodles, more sauce, and extra cheese for good measure.

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What Vegetables or Meat Can I Add to White Lasagna?

Just as with red lasagna, there’s a variety of vegetables and/or meat that can be added to white lasagna. Here, the lasagna is layered with wilted spinach and Italian sausage (take your pick of mild or hot). Spinach adds a nice pop of color and lends freshness to an otherwise hearty casserole. And because it’s packed with seasonings and fat, sausage crumbles give the lasagna even more flavor.

Any cooked vegetable can work in white lasagna, with roasted or grilled veggies being an especially good choice. Just be sure to avoid using raw vegetables, which can lead to a soggy lasagna because of the water content. Shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast can be substituted for the sausage. Or if you want to make a vegetarian white lasagna, the meat can be omitted altogether.

Credit: Kelli Foster

What to Serve with White Lasagna

Layered with noodles, spinach, meat, and cheese, lasagna is certainly hearty and satisfying on its own. But sometimes it’s nice to round out the meal with a simple vegetable side dish or salad, to complement dinner with something fresh. And when in doubt, remember that you can never go wrong with garlic bread.

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White Lasagna Recipe

Yield Serves 8 to 10

Prep time 30 minutes to 35 minutes

Cook time 45 minutes to 1 hour

• shellfish-free
• tree-nut-free
• fish-free
• alcohol-free
• soy-free
• egg-free
• peanut-free

Per serving, based on 10 servings. (% daily value)

• Calories 596
• Fat 38.9 g (59.8%)
• Saturated 19.5 g (97.4%)
• Carbs 36.8 g (12.3%)
• Fiber 2.2 g (8.8%)
• Sugars 10.2 g
• Protein 25.0 g (49.9%)
• Sodium 867.3 mg (36.1%)

Ingredients

• 4 cups

  whole milk

• 1

  medium yellow onion

• 3 cloves

  garlic

• 12 ounces

  low-moisture whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)

• 15

  dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil, about 2/3 of a 1-pound box)

• 2 ounces

  Parmesan cheese (about 1 firmly packed cup grated on a Microplane or 2/3 cup store-bought)

• 1 pound

  uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage (chicken, turkey, or pork), casings removed if using links

• 1 stick

  (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup

  all-purpose flour

• 2 3/4

  teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon

  freshly ground black pepper, divided

• Pinch ground nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon

  olive oil

• 1 pound

  baby spinach, or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen spinach

• 1

  (15- to 16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Set 4 cups whole milk at room temperature.

2. If using frozen spinach, thaw 16 ounces according to package directions. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, roll it up in the towel, and carefully squeeze out all the excess moisture.

3. Dice 1 medium yellow onion. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Grate 12 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups). Finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 packed cup).

4. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, arrange 15 dry lasagna noodles in an even layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover the noodles with hot tap water and let soak while you prepare the filling and sauce, about 30 minutes.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 pound Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. If using fresh baby spinach, add 1 pound a few handfuls at a time and stir until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. If using frozen spinach, add to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. If necessary, drain off any liquid. Season with 1/2 teaspoon the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon the black pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool while you make the béchamel sauce.

6. Melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and cook, stirring constantly until the paste is bubbling and begins to dry out slightly, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a pinch of ground nutmeg and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.

7. Place half of the Parmesan cheese, 1 container ricotta cheese, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

8. Drain the lasagna noodles and set aside. Spread about 1/4 cup béchamel sauce into the baking dish.

9. Arrange 5 lasagna noodles in an even layer on top of the sauce, breaking them if needed to fit (it’s OK if the noodles overlap slightly). Dollop and spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spoon half of the sausage and spinach over the ricotta, then sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Dollop and spread about a third of the béchamel sauce (about 1 heaping cup) over the mozzarella.

10. Arrange 5 more noodles over the mozzarella, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture, remaining sausage and spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and 1 heaping cup of the béchamel sauce. Top with the remaining 5 noodles and the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan.

11. Bake uncovered until the cheeses are melted and lightly browned, and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

The lasagna can be assembled and refrigerated unbaked up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw the frozen lasagna for 2 days in the refrigerator before baking.

Leftovers can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days.

Kelli Foster

Food Editor, Plan & Prep

Kelli is the Food Editor for Plan & Prep content for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls , The Probiotic Kitchen , Buddha Bowls , and Everyday Freekeh Meals . She lives in New Jersey.

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Source : food