Servings
Font
Back
Asparagus Lasagna (Lasagne agli Asparagi).
5 from 38 votes

Asparagus Lasagna (Lasagne agli Asparagi).

Asparagus Lasagna layers fresh green asparagus and sautéed leeks between sheets of fresh lasagne pasta, all covered in a smooth béchamel sauce flavored with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese. The baked dish offers tender vegetables combined with creamy, cheesy textures.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings: 4
Calories: 828 kcal
Course: Main Course, Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian

Ingredients

  • 9-10 ounces lasagne sheet fresh
  • 1-2 leek
  • 2.2 pounds asparagus fresh, green
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 ounces Parmigiano Cheese or vegetarian parmesan, or Grana cheese
For the bèchamel
  • 2 pints milk you may need a little more, fresh
  • 3.5 ounces butter plus a little more to sauté leeks.
  • 3.5 ounces flour Italian '00' flour or all-purpose flour.
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste, freshly ground

Instructions

Prepare the lasagna ingredients.
    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash the asparagus and remove the tough woody ends. The best way to be sure you get the best part only is to bend each asparagus while holding each end and it will break naturally in the right place. You can also just cut them. 
  2. Place the asparagus spears on a baking tray lined with oven paper. Sprinkle with the olive oil and some salt. Then bake until cooked. Depending on the size of your asparagus this may take 15-30 minutes.
  3. While the asparagus are baking, sauté the leeks. First wash your leeks, remove the darker outer leaves, and cut off the ends of the white part where there are sometimes some small roots. Then finely slice the leeks. Sauté in butter with a little olive oil until transparent and beginning to brown very slightly.
  4. When the asparagus are cooked cut most of them into 3-4 pieces. Leave 4-6 asparagus whole to place on the top of the lasagna.
Make the béchamel
  1. If you are making your own béchamel. Melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan big enough to hold at least 1 litre of milk (2 pints). Once the butter has melted, sift in the flour stirring continuously until you have a paste/roux.
  2. Next add the milk a little at a time and continue to stir constantly. Once you start to get a smooth white sauce, use a handheld whisk to stir out any lumps. When the sauce is thick enough, remove from the heat and add the nutmeg. Your béchamel is thick enough when it coats the back of a wooden spoon if you dip one in the sauce.
  3. The béchamel may thicken even further while you are preparing the rest of the lasagna. Just stir in some more milk if you think it’s too thick. It needs to have the consistency of a thick custard.
Assemble and bake your asparagus lasagna.
  1. Using a rectangular oven dish, pour some béchamel into the bottom of the dish and spread it evenly Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top of the white sauce. Then spread some leeks and asparagus over the pasta.
  2. Next add some grated cheese and more béchamel. Each layer of filling needs to have the ingredients well spread out. Add another layer of pasta sheets, then asparagus and leeks with grated cheese and bèchamel.
  3. Continue until you have used up the leeks and cut asparagus. The final layer of pasta needs to be covered in béchamel and grated cheese with the intact asparagus spaced out on the top.
  4. Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven at 180°c for 20-30 minutes until the top is browned and the pasta is cooked. Let your lasagna rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • The recipe makes four normal portions with four layers of pasta.
  • Use vegetarian Parmesan to make the dish fully vegetarian, replacing traditional Parmesan or Grana cheese.
  • For gluten-free adaptation, substitute pasta sheets and flour in the béchamel with gluten-free alternatives.
  • Preparation involves roasting asparagus and sautéing leeks separately before layering.

Nutrition Information

Calories 828kcal (41%) Carbohydrates 79g (26%) Protein 36g (72%) Fat 43g (66%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 12g (60%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 152mg (51%) Sodium 844mg (35%) Potassium 1079mg (23%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 17g (34%) Vitamin A 3567IU (71%) Vitamin C 17mg (19%) Calcium 803mg (80%) Iron 9mg (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 828

% Daily Value*

Calories 828kcal 41%
Carbohydrates 79g 26%
Protein 36g 72%
Fat 43g 66%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 12g 60%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 152mg 51%
Sodium 844mg 35%
Potassium 1079mg 23%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 17g 34%
Vitamin A 3567IU 71%
Vitamin C 17mg 19%
Calcium 803mg 80%
Iron 9mg 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.