Courgette Lasagne with Lemony Béchamel
Courgette Lasagne with Lemony Béchamel
Ingredients
For the Courgette Layers
- 4 courgettes, medium, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
For the Lemony Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk, whole or 2%, warmed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For Assembly
- 9 fresh lasagne sheets, or 12 ounces dried, cooked al dente according to package directions
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded or thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the courgettes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange sliced courgettes in a single layer on baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
Make the Lemony Béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until smooth and lump-free. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover to keep warm.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
If using dried lasagne sheets, cook them according to package directions until al dente. Drain and lay flat on parchment paper to prevent sticking. If using fresh pasta, no pre-cooking is needed.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Assemble the Lasagne: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of lemony béchamel on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place a layer of lasagne sheets over the béchamel. Top with a third of the roasted courgettes, followed by a third of the mozzarella, and dollops of pesto. Drizzle with more béchamel.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375
- 5
Repeat the layering process two more times: pasta, courgettes, mozzarella, pesto, and béchamel. For the final layer, place pasta sheets, cover generously with the remaining béchamel, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Bake the lasagne for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 375
- 7
Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents the lasagne from falling apart.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Courgette Lasagne with Lemony Béchamel
For the Courgette Layers
- 4 courgettes, medium, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
For the Lemony Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk, whole or 2%, warmed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For Assembly
- 9 fresh lasagne sheets, or 12 ounces dried, cooked al dente according to package directions
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded or thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the courgettes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange sliced courgettes in a single layer on baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
Make the Lemony Béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until smooth and lump-free. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover to keep warm.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
If using dried lasagne sheets, cook them according to package directions until al dente. Drain and lay flat on parchment paper to prevent sticking. If using fresh pasta, no pre-cooking is needed.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Assemble the Lasagne: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of lemony béchamel on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place a layer of lasagne sheets over the béchamel. Top with a third of the roasted courgettes, followed by a third of the mozzarella, and dollops of pesto. Drizzle with more béchamel.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375 - 5
Repeat the layering process two more times: pasta, courgettes, mozzarella, pesto, and béchamel. For the final layer, place pasta sheets, cover generously with the remaining béchamel, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Bake the lasagne for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 375 - 7
Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents the lasagne from falling apart.
⏱️ 15 min