WHITE LASAGNE WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE
Recipe from Robin to the Rescue
This casserole boasts three cheeses, shredded zucchini, creamy white sauce, and tender noodles. I use no-cook noodles, but regular lasagne noodles will work too (and there's no need to cook them first, I promise!).
Total Time: 68 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Active cooking time: 3 minutes
Walk-awaytime: 45 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
• Cooking spray
BECHAMEL SAUCE
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk (preferably 1% milk fat or higher)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• One 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground white pepper
• 12 sheets no-cook lasagne noodles
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. For the bechamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until blended and smooth, about 1 minute (don't let the flour brown). Gradually whisk in the milk and increase the heat to medium high. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the salt and remove from the heat.
3. For the filling, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, half of the mozzarella, the zucchini, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup of the bechamel into the prepared pan and spread it over the bottom. Arrange 4 noodles on top of the sauce, allowing them to overlap slightly. Spread 1 cup of the bechamel over the noodles. Top with half of the ricotta-zucchini mixture. Arrange 4 more noodles over the ricotta filling and top with another cup of the bechamel. Top with the remaining filling, then the remaining noodles. Pour over the remaining bechamel and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, about another 15 minutes. If you end up with any leftovers, you can freeze in individual portions so that you can just pull single servings from the freezer and reheat as needed.
Make it a meal kit: Make the bechamel and the ricottafilling. Store each separately in scalable containers for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. When ready to finish the meal, assemble the lasagne as directed, then bake and serve.
Bank a batch: Make a double batch of the entire recipe and store the extra pan (before baking) for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave for 8 to 10 minutes on LOW. Bake as directed.
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