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Dreaming of a White Christmas? Well, don't forget to include this White Christmas Lasagna in your dreams too! Your taste buds will certainly be dreaming of the creamy béchamel sauce, the succulent sausage, and the tangy ricotta. Sandwiched between tender lasagna noodles and lots of melty mozzarella, these beloved delights ensure that this snow-colored main course is as amazing as possible. White Christmas Lasagna is the festive feast you need!
Dreaming of a White Christmas? Well, don't forget to include this White Christmas Lasagna in your dreams too! Your taste buds will certainly be dreaming of the creamy béchamel sauce, the succulent sausage, and the tangy ricotta. Sandwiched between tender lasagna noodles and lots of melty mozzarella, these beloved delights ensure that this snow-colored main course is as amazing as possible. White Christmas Lasagna is the festive feast you need!
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 15 lasagna noodles not no-boil
- hot water to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage ground or links with casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 2 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- ground nutmeg to taste
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 1 (15-16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 (12-ounce) package low-moisture whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
Directions
- Allow the whole milk to come to room temperature.
- Position an oven rack to the middle position in the oven, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a 9x13-inch, arrange the lasagna noodles in an even layer.
- Cover the noodles in the baking dish with the hot water and allow them to soak while preparing the filling and the sauce, about 30 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until it is shimmering.
- Add the sausage to the hot oil and cook, while crumbling, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the onions and the garlic to the sausage and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, to the sausage mixture and cook, while stirring, until it is just wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
- Season the sausage mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
- Transfer the Dutch oven from the heat and allow it to cool.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, while whisking constantly, until a bubbling paste forms, about 2 minutes. The paste should look like it is beginning to dry out slightly.
- Gradually whisk the room temperature milk into the butter mixture and continue to whisk until no lumps remain.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the milk mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the milk mixture to simmer, while stirring occasionally, until thickened into a béchamel sauce, about 1-2 minutes.
- Season the béchamel sauce with 2 teaspoons of the remaining kosher salt and the ground nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, add 1/2 of the parmesan cheese, the ricotta cheese, the remaining salt, and the remaining black pepper and stir to combine.
- Drain the lasagna noodles, then transfer them to a plate.
- In the 9x13-inch baking dish, add 1/4 cup of the béchamel sauce, spreading it out evenly.
- Arrange 5 of the lasagna noodles in an even layer on top of the sauce layer. You may break them as needed to fit; it is okay if the noodles overlap slightly.
- Dollop and spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the noodle layer in the baking dish.
- Spoon 1/2 of the sausage mixture over the ricotta layer in the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the sausage mixture layer with 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Dollop and spread 1 heaping cup of the remaining béchamel sauce over the mozzarella layer.
- Repeat the layers with 5 of the remaining lasagna noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, the remaining sausage mixture, 1 cup of the remaining mozzarella, and 1 heaping cup of the remaining béchamel sauce, in that order.
- Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, the remaining béchamel sauce, the remaining mozzarella cheese, and the remaining parmesan cheese, in that order.
- Bake the lasagna, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
- Allow the lasagna to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Serve.
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