Whenever I’m asked what’s on my Christmas menu, my first choice is usually lasagna. Lasagna is great because you can assemble the dish ahead of time. Then, bake it slowly in the oven while you enjoy your evening with friends and family. I love to make multiple lasagnas, one with meat and one without. Sometimes, if my crowd of people is especially large, I’ll even make 3! This way, everyone has a yummy holiday dinner they can enjoy whether they consume meat or prefer a vegetable-filled dish. This makes life so super easy. Just add a side salad and bread for all to share, and your meal is complete! No stress, no fuss. I like to keep my cooking pretty traditional when it comes to Christmas. Dinner on Christmas Eve is usually a beef tenderloin roast. But over the years, we’ve switched up our Christmas Day dinner. My mom used to roast a turkey. But when we moved to Colorado, I began to make lasagna. And the last couple of years, we’ve actually done Mexican. This year, I’m returning to my roots and making everyone lasagna. This will be the easiest on me, and of course, delicious too! I’m going to make my classic homemade meat lasagna that I know all the boys will love. It’s a favorite recipe of theirs, especially when I make it spicy. But I’m also going to make this white lasagna. Inspired by my late Aunt Katie’s white chicken lasagna that she used to make at Christmastime. But I’ve made a few tweaks that I know she would approve of! Aunt Katie was my cousin’s (that you always hear me talk about) mom.
Here are the details
Step 1: the mushroom Béchamel sauce I make my cheese Béchamel sauce with golden brown butter for even more flavor. Start out by cooking the mushrooms in butter. Then, add yummy flavors like garlic, sage, and thyme. The key is to let the butter brown slowly around the mushrooms until they smell nutty and delicious. Next, mix in flour, milk, and white wine – or use broth. The flour will thicken the Béchamel sauce and make it creamy. Now mix in the provolone cheese. Step 2: the spinach and pesto I use frozen chopped spinach. Thaw the spinach, then squeeze out all the excess water. Once most of the water is removed, mix the spinach with store-bought basil pesto. Step 3: assemble Now it’s time to assemble. Layer cooked lasagna noodles with the Béchamel sauce, spinach/pesto mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Continue to layer until all of the ingredients are gone! Step 4: chill and save – or bake At this point, you can cover the dish and keep it in the fridge for a few days before baking. Or, you can freeze it, then thaw it later and bake. To bake, I like to bring the dish to room temperature first. Then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Next, remove the foil and keep baking until the edges of the dish begin to crisp. So delicious! It’s going to smell so wonderful! A great dinner to entertain with over the holidays, from today through New Year’s! Looking for other easy holiday dinners?? Here are my favorites: Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 4 Cheese Pesto Lasagna Crispy Prosciutto Cheesy White Lasagna One Pot Creamy French Onion Pasta Bake Creamy White Wine Mushroom Stuffed Shells Lastly, if you make this Brown Butter Pesto Spinach Souffle Lasagna, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
