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Shiitake Kale Lasagna on a white plate with a fork and micro green salad

Loaded with Love Shiitake Kale Lasagna


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This shiitake kale lasagna is a dreamy wintery dish, chock-full of earthy greens and mushrooms, with a cozy dose of melty cheeses and warm spices. Enlist your friends and make a night out of prepping the layers and assembling, then settle in to reap the rewards. 


Ingredients

Scale

Kale

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 bunches of Lacinato (dino, Tuscan) kale, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
  • 2 5-ounce packs of baby kale
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mushrooms

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 12 Tablespoons butter
  • 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons Marsala wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Béchamel Sauce (makes 1 quart):

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 2 cups of vegetable stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Grating of fresh nutmeg

Ricotta

  • 1 pound ricotta cheese
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound Italian-brand lasagna pasta (you will need about 15 pieces)

Cheese Mix:

  • 1/3 pound Pecorino Romano, 1 1/4 cups grated
  • 1/2 pound goat (or cow) Mozzarella, 2 cups grated
  • 1/3 pound Fontina Fontal, 2+ cups grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325oF. Butter a 3-quart 9 x 13 baking dish. 

Prep the layers:

Kale: Heat olive oil over high heat in a large sauté pan. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped Lacinato kale and the baby kale and stir to wilt. You may need to add the greens in batches, until there is enough room to add more. Add 3 Tablespoons water and cover. Cook for about 2 minutes, then remove the lid and cook about 2 minutes more until the liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.

Mushrooms: Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the shallots and cook about 4 minutes until shallots are golden. Add 1 Tablespoon butter and the shiitakes, cooking for 4 minutes until cooked through. Add an additional Tablespoon butter, if needed. Deglaze the pan with 2 Tablespoons Marsala wine, scraping up the brown bits. Season with black pepper.

Béchamel Sauce: Heat 4 Tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking in the flour until smooth. Cook the roux for several minutes, letting it bubble at least one minute, until lightly golden. Add the milk and vegetable stock, in a slow drizzle until all is incorporated. Season with salt, coriander, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust.

Ricotta: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Pasta: Cook the noodles according to package directions in salted water, undercooking by about two minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drizzle a little olive oil on the noodles and lay them out on a foil-lined sheet pan, with plastic wrap between the layers. Cover with a damp towel if you are holding for a little while or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate if you are prepping a day ahead.

Cheese: Combine the three cheeses together in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

To make assembly easier to follow, I am listing each layer separately, along with how much to use. Layer as follows:

  • Béchamel Sauce – 1 cup
  • Lasagna Noodles – cross-wise, about 3 – 5 pieces, depending on brand, trimmed to fit
  • Béchamel Sauce – 1 cup
  • Kale mixture – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Grated cheese – 1/3 of the mixture
  • Mushrooms – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Ricotta filling – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Lasagna Noodles – lengthwise, about 3 – 4 whole noodles, trimming as needed to fill ends
  • Béchamel Sauce – 1 cup
  • Kale mixture – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Grated cheese – 1/3 of the mixture
  • Mushrooms – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Ricotta filling – 1/2 of the mixture
  • Lasagna Noodles – cross-wise, about 3 – 5 pieces trimmed to fit
  • Béchamel Sauce – 1 cup
  • Grated cheese – 1/3 of mixture

Place on a sheet pan to catch bubble-overs, and bake, covered with foil sprayed with oil to prevent sticking, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and raise the oven temperature to 425oF. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is starting to brown and the lasagna is bubbly.           

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

The prep time here is directly correlated to how many people and how much wine. I am a speedy chopper and prepped in less time than shown. If you are a leisurely chopper or socializing, it may take longer. Or, many hands make light work.

  • Prep Time: 90 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Kale Lasagna