Creamy Artichoke Lasagna

This super-delicious and creamy lasagna with artichokes is a variation of the classic recipe that will amaze you with its simplicity and its unexpected taste explosion.

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Who doesn’t like baked pasta? I love it and I am literally crazy about Lasagna which is one of my favorite comfort foods!

If you follow my blog, you know that my main mission is to spread traditional recipes of Italian cuisine. Nonetheless, I often like to add a pinch of experimentation, starting from classic recipes by using different ingredients and combinations.

The recipe that I propose today is, in fact, a white variant of the classic lasagna. It is prepared in white with lots of bechamel and stringy mozzarella. In addition, creamy lasagna with artichokes is an excellent alternative for a vegetarian choice without sacrificing pleasure.

The creamy lasagna with artichokes is a delicious dish already only in this way, with just artichokes and bechamel, but you can also enrich it with many other ingredients.

Which artichokes to choose

As mentioned, the artichoke is the undisputed star of the recipe. If like me, you’re an artichoke lover too, check out these artichoke-based recipes:

Penne Pasta with Artichokes

Veal & Pork Stew with Artichokes

Artichokes and Cheese Savory Pie

While it is always better to opt for fresh artichokes, If you are not in the right season, you can also make the recipe with frozen ones. I will give you directions for both options.

Using Fresh Artichokes
First, we need to clean and cut the artichokes properly. To do it follow our directions. I talked about it in the post How to Clean Artichokes Easily, where you also find a step-by-step video.
Once the artichokes are cooked, we will blend a part of them together with the béchamel. In this way, the enveloping and delicate taste of the artichokes will permeate all of your Lasagna.

Using Frozen Artichokes
Simply cook the artichokes in boiling salted water in accordance with the product directions. Then heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan with a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté for 5 minutes to add more flavor.

How to make Béchamel

Because it is a White Lasagna, the bechamel plays a very important role in the balance of the recipe.
You can choose to buy a ready-made besciamella, the important thing is that it is of excellent quality like these.

Alternatively, you can easily make your own bechamel sauce at home. I’ll explain immediately how!

Béchamel is a sauce made from butter, milk, and flour and is really simple and quick to prepare at home. You will need:

• 500 ml Milk
• 50 gr butter
• 3 tablespoons flour (about 50 g)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 sprinkle of nutmeg

In a saucepan, cook the milk until it almost boils. Switch off and set aside.
In another saucepan, melt the butter slowly, then pour in the flour and cook over very low heat, stirring with a whisk for 2-3 minutes (this is how the Roux is formed).

Gently pour the hot milk over the roux and continue stirring with the whisk until the cream begins to thicken. I recommend that you follow this step very slowly otherwise lumps will form.
At this point, turn off the heat and add salt and nutmeg. Stir for another minute and your béchamel is ready for use!

How to assemble the perfect Lasagna

Once all the ingredients have been set, all you have to do is take a rectangular pan with high sides and sprinkle it with thin oil.

For best results use high-quality Lasagna Pasta like these ones.

For a gluten-free version, you can try the Barilla ones, made with corn and rice!

Therefore, alternate layers of pasta, béchamel with artichokes, pieces of artichokes, mozzarella, and grated cheese.

Remember, the higher it is, the more pleasure it will be for the palate. Finally, cooking in the oven will make the lasagna fragrant and crunchy on the surface and creamy on the inside… real goodness!

Alternative ingredients to enrich your Creamy Artichokes Lasagna Recipe

This Creamy Lasagna with Artichokes is already delicious in its vegetarian version. However, if you want to dare a little more, you can customize it in many ways. Here are some :

In Italy, we often add crumbled sausage or diced bacon to the artichokes. They give a smoky note and complete the taste of the dish. If you opt for bacon you can dice it and add it to the artichokes while cooking in the pan. If you prefer sausage, crumble it and cook it alone in a pan for at least 7/8 minutes, blending it with white wine and then adding it to the artichokes.

To stay vegetarian, instead, you can add 2 boiled potatoes to the artichokes. Cut them into chunks and stir them in the pan together with the artichokes. The final texture will make every bite of lasagna outstanding.

What can I say more? Lasagna with artichokes is a definitely smart recipe. A perfect pairing that can be prepared in advance and served at the right time. A super dish, completely green, satisfying, and light enough!

And since this Lasagna Recipe is very suitable for special occasions, read our tips for a perfect wine pairing.

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