Baked Pesto Lasagna
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 12wide lasagna noodles (do not use instant)
- Salt
- 1bunch fresh basil, stems removed
- ⅓cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried
- 8 to 10cloves garlic
- ½cup olive oil
- Freshly ground white pepper to taste
- ¼cup butter
- ¼cup flour
- 2cups half-and-half or milk
- 1cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Butter as needed
- 8ounces mozzarella, grated
- 8ounces Monterey Jack, grated
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
653 calories; 48 grams fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 569 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
Boil the noodles in well salted water until al dente. Drain well, and lay all the strips out to dry on paper towels.
- Step 2
Wash basil leaves well in several changes of water. Blanch in boiling water just until limp. Using a slotted spoon, immediately plunge into ice water to cool. Drain again and squeeze dry. Place in blender with parsley, garlic and oil, and purée until smooth. Season with pepper to taste, and set aside.
- Step 3
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Raise heat and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Stir in the Parmigiano. Let cool slightly, then stir in the pesto until completely blended.
- Step 4
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Liberally butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon a little of the pesto sauce over the bottom of the pan. Line with 3 strips of the noodles. With a rubber spatula, top each strip evenly with sauce. Sprinkle with about a quarter of the mozzarella and Monterey Jack. Repeat with three more layers, using all the noodles, and most of the sauce and cheese. Pour all the remaining sauce over, smoothing the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Step 5
Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I made this dish as written but was struck by the low temp and cooking time compared with other lasagnas I have cooked. Came out strangely like pasta in an over rich sauce. The next day I re-cooked it, this time at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. After about 20 minutes it started to smell reassuringly like lasagna cooking. Came out perfectly. Son complimented me on how delicious it was.
This was very good, but a little rich. I increased the nutritional value and balanced the dish by adding a layers of lightly steamed vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower) between the pesto cream and cheese. Will definitely make again, a little less cheese next time and probably more vegetables.
Delicious recipe. I also added a veggie (sliced artichoke hearts) between layers to add some interest and it came out perfectly. I also chose to add an extra layer of lasagna to give it more height.
I made this dish as written but was struck by the low temp and cooking time compared with other lasagnas I have cooked. Came out strangely like pasta in an over rich sauce. The next day I re-cooked it, this time at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. After about 20 minutes it started to smell reassuringly like lasagna cooking. Came out perfectly. Son complimented me on how delicious it was.
Delicious recipe. I also added a veggie (sliced artichoke hearts) between layers to add some interest and it came out perfectly. I also chose to add an extra layer of lasagna to give it more height.
This was very good, but a little rich. I increased the nutritional value and balanced the dish by adding a layers of lightly steamed vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower) between the pesto cream and cheese. Will definitely make again, a little less cheese next time and probably more vegetables.