Creamy Veggie & Sausage Lasagna
This creamy veggie and sausage lasagna is layered with homemade pasta, sautéed leeks, Italian sausage, kale, roasted squash, and a rich Gruyère béchamel sauce.
I went grocery shopping feeling inspired and came home with a bunch of beautiful vegetables that needed to be used. My original plan was a vegetable lasagna, but I also had a few links of Italian sausage in the freezer, so I decided to add those too.
I’ll be honest, this recipe did not go exactly as planned. The pasta dough was a little too wet, my béchamel needed more milk, I accidentally forgot the roasted squash while assembling the lasagna, and I spent a good portion of the evening trying to untangle homemade pasta sheets from my countertop.
But that’s one of the reasons I love cooking from scratch. Every recipe teaches you something.
Despite all of the little mishaps, this lasagna turned out incredibly flavorful. My whole family loved it, and I immediately started making notes on how I wanted to improve it next time. The version I’m sharing below includes those adjustments, including adding the roasted squash layer that I accidentally left out and scaling back some of the cheese to keep the lasagna rich without becoming greasy.
If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and learning alongside me, I think you’ll love this one.
Why I Love This One
This lasagna feels cozy and comforting while still being packed with vegetables.
The leeks become sweet and tender, the kale melts right into the creamy sauce, and the roasted squash adds another layer of flavor and texture. I especially love using fresh herbs from the garden because they make the whole dish taste like late spring and early summer.
It also reheats beautifully, making it perfect for leftovers throughout the week.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Freshly milled khorasan flour – I used freshly milled khorasan flour in the homemade pasta dough for extra flavor and nutrition, but all purpose flour works if that’s what you have.
- Lasagna noodles – Homemade pasta sheets are wonderful here, but store bought no boil noodles make this much easier.
- Leeks – One of my favorite vegetables for adding a mild onion flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Yellow squash or zucchini – Roasting first helps remove moisture and prevents a watery lasagna.
- Italian sausage – I used leftover Italian sausage from the freezer. Be sure to drain it well to prevent excess grease.
- Fresh herbs – Thyme, sage, oregano, and garlic bring so much flavor to the vegetable mixture.
- Lacinato kale – It softens beautifully in the béchamel and adds extra nutrition.
- Gruyère cheese – Rich, nutty, and perfect in a white lasagna.
- Parmesan – Adds saltiness and depth to the sauce.
- Whole milk – Creates a silky béchamel sauce. Don’t be afraid to add a little extra if your sauce becomes too thick.
How I Make It
I start by making the pasta dough. The freshly milled khorasan flour adds a wonderful flavor, but you can use all purpose flour if preferred. After mixing the dough and kneading it until smooth, I let it rest before rolling it into thin sheets. This resting time makes the dough much easier to work with and helps prevent tearing.
While the dough rests, I roast the squash to remove excess moisture and prevent a watery lasagna. Next, I cook the leeks until soft and sweet, then add the garlic and fresh herbs to bring out their flavor. The sausage is browned separately and drained well before being added to the vegetable mixture.
For the sauce, I make a creamy Gruyère béchamel by whisking warm milk into a butter and flour roux, then stirring in kale and cheese until smooth. If the sauce becomes too thick, I add a little extra milk to keep it easy to spread.
Once all the components are ready, I layer the pasta, béchamel, roasted vegetables, and sausage mixture in a baking dish. After a final layer of sauce and cheese, the lasagna is baked until golden and bubbling, then rested before slicing.
Tips
- Let the pasta dough rest before rolling for smoother, more manageable sheets.
- Flour homemade pasta generously while rolling to prevent sticking.
- Roast the squash ahead of time to remove excess moisture.
- Drain the sausage well to keep the lasagna from becoming greasy.
- Keep most of the cheese in the béchamel rather than heavily layering cheese throughout.
- Add a splash of extra milk if the béchamel becomes too thick while assembling.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing for cleaner layers.
This recipe came together after a lot of trial and error in my kitchen. Watch the full video below to see the process, mistakes and all!
Creamy Veggie & Sausage Lasagna
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs.
- Gradually mix the eggs into the flour until a shaggy dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, until smooth. Add a little extra flour as needed.
- Wrap the dough and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Divide into 4 portions and roll into thin sheets using a pasta machine or rolling pin. Cut to fit a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Arrange the squash slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Try to make one even layer or space out as best you can.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until softened and lightly golden around the edges. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the moisture has cooked away.
- Push veggies to the side, add 2 tsps of olive oil to the empty part of the skillet and add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and sage to the oil. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Transfer the veggie mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of sherry, if using.
- Drain any excess grease and transfer the sausage to the bowl with the leek mixture. Blot the sausage and pan with a paper towel to remove excess grease if needed.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the warm milk until smooth.
- Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
- Stir in the kale, cover, and cook on low until wilted and tender, a few minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Gruyère, Parmesan, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Spread a thin layer of béchamel in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Add a layer of pasta sheets or lasagna noodles.
- Spread over a layer of béchamel.
- Add a layer of roasted squash.
- Spoon over one third of the sausage and leek mixture. Sprinkle lightly with shredded gruyere and parmesan.
- Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used.
- Finish with a final layer of pasta, the remaining béchamel, 1 cup Gruyère, and ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
