Lasagna With Roasted Beets and Herb Béchamel
- Total Time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6medium-size red beets
- 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3tablespoons minced shallot or onion
- 3tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
- 3cups low-fat (1 percent) milk
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼cup finely chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, tarragon and chives
- ½pound no-boil lasagna noodles
- 4ounces (1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
291 calories; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 501 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about ¼ inch of stems. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or lidded ovenproof casserole. Add ¼ inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast 40 to 45 minutes, until the beets are easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds and set aside.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Strain while hot into a large measuring cup or a medium bowl and stir in the chopped herbs and ¼ cup of the Parmesan.
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a rectangular baking dish. Spread a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon a thin layer of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with a layer of beets and sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with béchamel and Parmesan. Make sure the noodles are well coated with béchamel so they will be sure to soften during baking.
- Step 4
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Advance preparation: You can assemble this up to a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze for a month. The lasagna can be baked several hours ahead and reheated in a medium oven.
Private Notes
Comments
This was delicious. First, use regular lasagna noodles that you have to boil first. Make 1/2 cup more bechamel. Use the beet greens, I sautéed them with shallots and onions, and when wilted transferred to a colander to drain before using as a layer in the lasagna to get rid of liquid. Use fresh thyme and a bit of rosemary. Add extra shredded Parmesan to the top. A fresh spin on lasagna for beet lovers.
This is a good idea but not a very good recipe. I would like to try again with some improvements, it was very dry. Definitely cook the noodles ahead of time, add greens, and maybe another cheese such as goat cheese or ricotta. My regular lasagna pan was too big so I don’t think the noodles were covered like they were supposed to be.
This was ok without being amazing. I cooked it pretty much as directed - used skimmed milk instead of 1% which was fine. Used no boil noodles which were also fine. No fresh herbs so used dried thyme and rosemary - again, fine. If I make it again, I will try feta, probably instead of rather than in addition to the parmesan - I felt it could do with that salty tang.
I liked this- it was simply treated. I used homemade lasagna noodles which added more chew. Left béchamel loose because comments suggested more was needed. My kids liked ‘pink lasagna’
This is a good idea but not a very good recipe. I would like to try again with some improvements, it was very dry. Definitely cook the noodles ahead of time, add greens, and maybe another cheese such as goat cheese or ricotta. My regular lasagna pan was too big so I don’t think the noodles were covered like they were supposed to be.
Made it almost exactly as written except used dried herbs and almond milk. Meh...pretty bland. I put some feta on top but it needs something. Ended up taking the leftovers apart and cut up the beets and noodles and added way more feta and more spice (rosemary, garlic, za'atar) and made what we called beet-sarole.