Featured Recipe
Shrimp Spinach Lasagna
By Kate
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A savory layered pasta dish with sautéed spinach and shrimp, creamy béchamel sauce, melted cheeses, and tender lasagna sheets. Quick blanched spinach squeezed dry prevents sogginess. Shrimp get a brief sear to avoid rubberiness. The béchamel thickens to coat layers without heaviness. Cheese topping browns under the broiler, signals finished bake. Substitutes suggested for allergy and availability concerns. Timing cues focus on texture, aroma, visual doneness rather than strict clocks. Technique tips on squeezing moisture, avoiding crusty edges, and reheating for leftovers included.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
40 min
Total:
Serves:
6 servings
main dish
pasta
seafood
Italian
comfort food
Introduction
Shrimp and spinach are a classic duo; layering them into lasagna adds dimension. Forget rigid timing; look for wilted spinach still vivid green, shrimp just opaque. The béchamel thickens to a velvety blank canvas, scant nutmeg whispers in background. The aroma rising from oven tells you it’s close — browned cheese, toasty butter notes. Avoid soggy layers by dewatering fillings well. No-slip layering guarantees neat slices. Using lemon zest and crushed pepper flakes gives punch without overpowering. The interplay of textures from creamy sauce, springy pasta, briny shrimp and melty cheese — it’s all about control, patience, and respect for elements. A straightforward dish, with a few well-judged tweaks.
Ingredients
béchamel
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 1 litre whole milk
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 no-boil lasagna sheets or traditional boiled
- 250 g fresh baby spinach or equivalent frozen
- 30 ml olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 180 g raw shrimp, peeled if desired, rinsed and halved horizontally
- 30 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 130 g shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese
- 15 g grated Pecorino Romano (substitutes Parmesan)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 1 lemon zest finely grated
lasagna layers
twist additions
About the ingredients
Adjust butter and flour quantities for béchamel thickness preference. Whole milk ideal but 2% can work; avoid skim or you lose creaminess. Baby spinach preferred fresh; frozen packed tight requires thawing and pressing out extra liquid to avoid watery filling. Oil for sauté needs heat tolerance — olive oil is common, but avocado or light vegetable oil can replace. Shrimp size varies — smaller shrimp work fine, just reduce cook time accordingly. Parmesan provides salt and umami; can swap Pecorino Romano or Asiago based on availability. Cheese amounts tuned for melt quality without overpowering béchamel edges. Crushed red pepper flakes optional, add last minute to filling so they don’t scorch. Lemon zest brings balance to richness. No-boil sheets save time but risk uneven texture. Dry pasta ensures resilience in oven bake but requires care cooking al dente. Don’t skip salting pasta water for flavor foundation throughout layers.
Method
béchamel
- 1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low. Add flour in one go, whisk constantly to form a pale roux, cook about 90 seconds without browning. Slowly stream in milk while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Nutmeg goes in now. Increase heat, gently simmer, whisk frequently, until sauce thickens, coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper sparingly; remember cheese layers add salt too. Remove from heat, cover to prevent skin formation.
- 2. If using dried lasagna sheets, boil in salted water until just al dente — tough, chewy edges mean undercooked; floppy means overcooked. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking, lay flat on oiled sheet pan to avoid sticking. You can also use no-boil sheets if preferred; they soak liquid from béchamel and filling, saves time but may alter texture slightly.
- 3. Heat 20 ml olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds, don't burn. Add spinach in batches (if using fresh), stir until wilted but still bright green — look for shimmer and slight reduction, about 2-3 minutes. Salt lightly to help moisture release. Drain spinach in fine mesh strainer or clean kitchen towel— squeeze firmly to remove as much water as possible. Excess moisture ruins lasagna texture, causes sogginess.
- 4. In same pan, heat remaining 10 ml olive oil over medium-high. Add shrimp pieces, season with salt and pepper. Sear quickly until opaque and just firm, 45 to 60 seconds each side. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery. Remove, rest in bowl. If shrimp flavor isn't assertive, add lemon zest and optional crushed red pepper flakes now, toss gently.
- 5. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Choose a 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inch) baking dish. Spread one third of béchamel in bottom. Arrange 3 lasagna sheets side by side; overlap edges carefully or you’ll end with cracks in structure. Distribute half the spinach evenly, scatter shrimp over. Top with a few spoonfuls of béchamel to moisten. Sprinkle parmesan over gently.
- 6. Layer 3 more lasagna sheets over spinach shrimp layer, spread remaining béchamel evenly. Scatter mozzarella and Pecorino Romano (or additional Parmesan) evenly on top; don’t pile up, cheese melts better when spread. Cover loosely with foil.
- 7. Bake covered for 25 to 30 minutes, watch for bubbling at edges and gentle rise in middle. Remove foil, switch to broil setting. Watch closely, 4 to 6 minutes depending on broiler strength. Cheese should bubble and turn golden with small brown spots, not black. Let rest 7 to 10 minutes before slicing — sets layers, prevents sauce running out.
- To avoid watery filling, no shortcuts on squeezing spinach. Too much béchamel dilutes flavor and causes collapse. If béchamel thickens too much, add splash milk before layering. Can swap shrimp with cooked lobster or crab meat for upscale touch; reduce salt if cheese is sharp. No fresh nutmeg? Ground mace works but less aromatic. Leftover lasagna reheats well under moderate oven heat, cover with foil to keep moist.
- Flexible with cheeses — mozzarella melts well but bland; fontina adds nuttiness; Gruyère possible but watch salt balance. Finely grate lemon zest over finished dish to brighten heavy flavors. Crushed red pepper adds complexity but omit for mild palettes.
pasta prep
filling
assembly
baking
tips & troubleshooting
Technique Tips
Start with béchamel — low heat key to prevent scorching roux. Whisk while adding milk to avoid lumps. Thick but pourable sauce needed. Blanch and drain spinach to wilt and shed moisture; skipping drying phase kills texture later. Sear shrimp quick to maintain tender bite; overcooking sends them rubbery. Arrange layers with care — uneven or broken sheets deliver patchy results. Cheese evenly sprinkled encourages even melting and golden blistering under broiler. Cover with foil while baking to avoid crust drying out; finish under intense broiler 4-6 min for Maillard color. Resting after bake lets sauces set, aids cleaner cutting. Watch oven performance and adjust times. Leftovers reheat in moderate 160-175°C oven covered to keep moist, no microwave unless last resort to preserve texture. Keep zest and chili optional additions separate, can be added fresh to each serving for control over heat and brightness.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Béchamel needs low heat; whisk in milk to avoid lumps. Make a smooth sauce not too thick. Thin sauce fails to coat layers.
- 💡 Spinach must drain well after blanching. Squeeze moisture out hard; soggy filling ruins texture in lasagna. Use fine mesh.
- 💡 Sear shrimp quick; 45 seconds each side. Don't overdo. Rubber texture hits if cooked too long. Rest aside to keep tender.
- 💡 Layering needs care; sheets aligned well to prevent cracks. Don’t just throw it together. Cheese spread thin; melts more evenly.
- 💡 Broiling switches up; keep an eye on it. Too long burns cheese. Gold spots okay, but black isn’t. Rest after baking.
