Winter Greens, Walnut & Sage Lasagne Recipe
Introduction
This Winter Greens, Walnut & Sage Lasagne is a comforting and seasonal twist on a classic favorite. Packed with tender leafy greens, rich walnut flavors, and fragrant sage, it’s a hearty vegetarian dish perfect for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
- 2.5 litres whole milk
- 6 bay leaves
- 6 leeks (5 thinly sliced, 1 quartered)
- 60g butter, plus 1 tbsp, and extra for the dish
- 120g plain flour
- Grating of nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground mace
- 250g ball of mozzarella, torn
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 12 sage leaves, shredded, plus extra to decorate
- 400g Savoy cabbage, cut into 2cm strips
- 130g kale, thick stalks removed
- 100g walnuts, bashed into pieces
- 120g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, grated
- 15 dried lasagne sheets
Instructions
- Step 1: To make the white sauce, place the milk, bay leaves, and quartered leek in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let infuse for 1 hour.
- Step 2: Strain the milk into a large jug, discarding the leek and bay leaves. Melt 60g butter in the saucepan, add the flour, and cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Step 3: Gradually stir in the infused milk a splash at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Once all the milk is added, simmer gently until thickened.
- Step 4: Season the sauce with nutmeg, mace, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the torn mozzarella until melted.
- Step 5: Melt 1 tbsp butter with walnut oil in a frying pan over low heat. Cook the sliced leeks until very soft, then add shredded sage and fry for 2 more minutes.
- Step 6: Boil the cabbage in salted water for 3 minutes, then transfer to a colander. Cook the kale in the same water for 30 seconds, drain, and toss together with the cabbage and leeks.
- Step 7: Butter a deep 2.5-litre baking dish. Spread a quarter of the white sauce over the base, then scatter a third of the greens, a quarter of the walnuts, and 1 tbsp cheese on top.
- Step 8: Layer with lasagne sheets. Repeat the layering twice more for three layers total, finishing with the last of the sauce on top. Scatter with remaining hard cheese. Chill for 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
- Step 9: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Bake the lasagne for about 50 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Step 10: Sprinkle over extra sage leaves and remaining walnuts. If the top gets too crisp, cover loosely and bake for 10 more minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Variations
- Use fresh, tender kale and Savoy cabbage for the best texture and flavor in your greens mix.
- Toast walnuts lightly before adding for an extra nutty crunch.
- Substitute vegetarian hard cheese with Parmesan if not strictly vegetarian.
- Prepare the lasagne a day ahead to let the flavors meld and make mealtime easier.
- For a richer sauce, add a splash of cream when stirring in the mozzarella.
Storage
Store any leftover lasagne covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C until warmed through and bubbly to maintain texture. You can also freeze uncooked assembled lasagne for up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use other leafy greens instead of kale and Savoy cabbage?
Yes, you can substitute with spinach, Swiss chard, or even collard greens. Just adjust the cooking times to ensure they soften properly without becoming mushy.
Is it necessary to infuse the milk with bay leaves and leek?
Infusing the milk adds subtle background flavors that enrich the sauce. If short on time, you can skip this step, but the final taste will be less complex.
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Winter Greens, Walnut & Sage Lasagne Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A comforting Winter Greens, Walnut & Sage Lasagne featuring layers of tender Savoy cabbage, kale, and leeks cooked with aromatic sage, enveloped in a creamy, subtly spiced white sauce with mozzarella and nutty walnuts, then baked to golden perfection. This vegetarian lasagne blends rich flavors and textures for a hearty and warming meal.
Ingredients
Scale
White Sauce Ingredients
- 2.5 litres whole milk
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 leek, quartered
- 60g butter
- 120g plain flour
- Grating of nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground mace
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 250g ball of mozzarella, torn
Greens and Filling
- 5 leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 12 sage leaves, shredded, plus extra to decorate
- 400g Savoy cabbage, cut into 2cm strips
- 130g kale, thick stalks removed
- 100g walnuts, roughly broken into pieces
- 120g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, grated
- 15 dried lasagne sheets
Instructions
- Infuse Milk: Pour the whole milk into a saucepan and add the bay leaves and quartered leek. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover and allow to infuse for 1 hour to develop flavor.
- Prepare White Sauce: Strain the infused milk into a large jug, discarding the bay leaves and leek. In the saucepan, melt 60g butter over medium heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the strained milk a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to gently simmer the sauce until thickened and bubbling. Season with nutmeg, ground mace, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in torn mozzarella until melted.
- Cook Leeks and Sage: In a frying pan, melt 1 tbsp butter with walnut oil over low heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook slowly until very soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in shredded sage leaves and cook for an additional 2 minutes to release their aroma.
- Blanch Greens: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Savoy cabbage strips and cook for 3 minutes. Lift them out and immediately place in a colander to drain. Quickly blanch the kale in the same boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and combine the cabbage, kale, cooked leeks, and sage in a bowl.
- Assemble Lasagne: Butter a deep 2.5-litre baking dish. Spread one quarter of the white sauce onto the base. Scatter over one third of the greens, one quarter of the walnuts, and 1 tablespoon of the grated hard cheese. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat this layering process twice more to create three layers. Finish by spreading the remaining white sauce over the top pasta layer and scattering the remaining hard cheese. Chill the assembled lasagne for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to let the flavors meld.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Bake the lasagne for about 50 minutes until golden and bubbling. If the top becomes too golden and crisp before baking is complete, cover tightly with foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish and Serve: Scatter additional sage leaves and the remaining walnuts over the lasagne just before serving to add texture and fresh flavor.
Notes
- Infusing milk with bay leaves and leek adds delicate aroma to the white sauce—don’t skip this step.
- Gradually whisking milk into the roux is essential to avoid lumps in the béchamel sauce.
- Soft cooking the leeks slowly ensures sweetness and tenderness in the filling.
- Chilling the assembled lasagne helps it set and makes cutting cleaner slices possible.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking for convenience.
- Use vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese to keep the recipe suitable for vegetarians.
- Be careful not to overcook greens; brief blanching keeps their color and bite.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (including infusion and prep)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (including baking and blanching)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: winter greens lasagne, vegetarian lasagne, kale recipe, Savoy cabbage recipe, walnut lasagne, sage lasagne, creamy white sauce, Italian vegetarian main dish
