This Fresh Lasagna with Pesto is a vibrant twist on a classic comfort food. Layers of tender pasta sheets, creamy béchamel, and rich cheese are brightened with fragrant basil pesto, creating a dish that’s both indulgent and refreshing. Perfect for family dinners or for impressing your vegetarian guests, this lasagna brings together the best of Italian tradition with a fresh, modern flavor.
Easy to prepare and bursting with color, it’s a recipe that feels special yet approachable—one you’ll want to make again and again. Whether served with a crisp salad or a slice of garlic bread, this lasagna is guaranteed to be the star of your table.
- 2 1/2 cups (1 pint) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter
- 1/2 cup (50g) plain all-purpose flour
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 3 Fresh lasagna sheets (mine were7 inches by 11 inches in size)
- 9 ounces (250g) baby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed, stems removed
- 1 1/2 rounded TBS pesto
- 9 ounces (250g) cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 3 ounces (90g) Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
- 1 (5 1/2 ounces/150g) ball of Mozzarella cheese, preferably buffalo, torn into bite sized pieces
- a small handful of basil leaves, torn, plus a few to garnish if desired
- fine sea salt and white pepper to taste
Using whole milk makes a rich and delicious bechamel. You can use lighter milk, but I highly recommend using full fat for the best flavor.
I really cannot stress taking the time to remove the stems from the spinach leaves enough. They are not very palatable when cooked and don't look nice either. Squeeze all the water out of the cooked spinach that you can.
Make sure you leave some of the tomatoes on the vine in short clusters to place on top of the lasagna before baking. I did cut the others in half, but that is not totally necessary. No cherry tomatoes? No problem. Use a good quality tinned whole tomato, well drained, patted dry and cut into thick slices or chunks.
I can't get Buffalo Mozzarella where I live so I just used a good quality fresh Mozzarella which I tore into pieces. I wasn't able to use the basil either. I had bought some basil at the shop, but it turned black in the refrigerator overnight. So annoying.
- First make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until combined. (I use a small wire whisk for this.)
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Continue to cook, whisking, over medium heat until thickened and smooth. Simmer for one minute. (This is to cook out any flour taste.)
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg and seasoning. Cool, whisking occasionally to help prevent a skin from forming. (Whisking it keeps the mixture moving so that a skin cannot form. If it does, just whisk it back down into the sauce, so long as it hasn't been sitting with a skin on top for any appreciable time.)
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow baking dish, 7 inches by 11 inches. (I used a ceramic baking dish.)
- Put the spinach in a heatproof bowl. Pour over a kettle full of boiling water. Leave for 20 seconds and then drain. Cool under running cold water. Squeeze out as much water as you can and set aside. (You really want the spinach to be fairly dry so that it doesn't dilute or run it's color too much into the bechamel.)
- Place 2 heaped spoonfuls of the bechamel into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a fresh lasagna noodle. (This is just to anchor the first lasagna sheet and keep it from drying out.)
- Spread 1/3 of the remaining bechamel over top. Add a third of the pesto in small dabs and swirl it through lightly. (I dot the pesto over top and then swirl it a bit with a small spoon.)
- Top with half of the drained spinach, 1/3 of the cherry tomatoes,1/3 of the cheeses, and some torn basil leaves. Season lightly. (Save a few sprigs of the tomatoes still on the vine to top.)
- Repeat the layers once, then top with a final layer of lasagna, the last of the bechamel, pesto, cheeses, torn basil and tomatoes, including the tomatoes still on the vine. Season lightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
- Scatter with a few basil leaves and serve warm. (I like to let it sit for a few minutes before cutting.)
Fresh Lasagna with Pesto
Easy to prepare, meat free and delicious. Sized for a smaller family, but can easily be doubled. Layers of fresh lasagna noodles, pesto, a rich bechamel, cheese and cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (1 pint) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter
- 1/2 cup (50g) plain all-purpose flour
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 3 Fresh lasagna sheets (mine were7 inches by 11 inches in size)
- 9 ounces (250g) baby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed, stems removed
- 1 1/2 rounded TBS pesto
- 9 ounces (250g) cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 3 ounces (90g) Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
- 1 (5 1/2 ounces/150g) ball of Mozzarella cheese, preferably buffalo, torn into bite sized pieces
- a small handful of basil leaves, torn, plus a few to garnish if desired
- fine sea salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- First make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until combined.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Continue to cook, whisking, over medium heat until thickened and smooth. Simmer for one minute.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg and seasoning. Cool, whisking occasionally to help prevent a skin from forming.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow baking dish, 7 inches by 11 inches.
- Put the spinach in a heatproof bowl. Pour over a kettle full of boiling water. Leave for 20 seconds and then drain. Cool under running cold water. Squeeze out as much water as you can and set aside.
- Place 2 heaped spoonfuls of the bechamel into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a fresh lasagna noodle.
- Spread 1/3 of the remaining bechamel over top. Add a third of the pesto in small dabs and swirl it through lightly.
- Top with half of the drained spinach, 1/3 of the cherry tomatoes,1/3 of the cheeses, and some torn basil leaves. Season lightly. (Save a few sprigs of the tomatoes still on the vine to top.
- Repeat the layers once, then top with a final layer of lasagna, the last of the bechamel, pesto, cheeses, torn basil and tomatoes, including the tomatoes still on the vine. Season lightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
- Scatter with a few basil leaves and serve warm.
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There’s nothing quite like a bowl of Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup to bring comfort on a chilly day. Tender chicken, hearty rice, and fresh vegetables come together in a rich, velvety broth that feels like a hug in a bowl. This recipe is simple, wholesome, and perfect for family dinners, cozy lunches, or warming up after a long day.
Whether you’re craving a classic comfort food or looking for a nourishing meal to share, this soup delivers flavor and satisfaction in every spoonful. Easy to make, freezer‑friendly, and endlessly adaptable, it’s a recipe you’ll want to keep close all winter long.
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 1/2 cups (795ml) hot chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (65g) of uncooked rice
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 TBS plain flour
- 1 (12 oz/400g) tin of low-fat evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and cut into cubes
- Put the onion and celery stalk into a beaker with 1 TBS of the chicken stock. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes until softened. (Alternately you can sauté it in a bit of butter in the soup pan until softened. Do not allow it to color.)
- Place into a saucepan along with the chopped carrot, Parsnip, garlic, chicken stock, dry rice, thyme, and black pepper. (If you wanted to and had it, you could use fresh thyme. You will need roughly twice as much if using fresh rather than dried.)
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. (I keep it at a slow simmer. The carrots will be crispy tender when done.)
- Whisk together the flour and evaporated milk. Whisk into the hot soup mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook for at least 2 minutes. (I strain the flour mixture through a small sieve to remove the possibility of lumps.)
- Stir in the chicken and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and pepper. (If your chicken stock is very salty you may not need any.)
- Read through the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed.
- Assemble all of your ingredients before you start. That way you won't accidentally leave anything out that is integral to the recipe.
- Start with the freshest ingredients you have.
- Don't overcook the soup. You want the vegetables to retain a little bit of bite. You do not want them mushy.
- I like to strain the flour/milk mixture through a sieve to make sure that no lumps are involved.
- Make sure the soup is piping hot to serve and serve it in heated bowls.
Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup
This hearty soup is delicious and hearty and actually quite low in fat. It's also a very quick make so long as you have already cooked chicken in the house. Today I used some rotisserie chicken that I had on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 1/2 cups (795ml) hot chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (65g) of uncooked rice
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 TBS plain flour
- 1 (12 oz/400g) tin of low-fat evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and cut into cubes
Instructions
- Put the onion and celery stalk into a beaker with 1 TBS of the chicken stock. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes until softened.
- Place into a saucepan along with the chopped carrot, Parsnip, garlic, chicken stock rice, thyme, and black pepper.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour and evaporated milk. Whisk into the hot soup mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook for at least 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and pepper. (If your chicken stock is very salty you may not need any.)
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Hello everyone and welcome to my Meals of the Week post, for this the first week of December 2025. Every week on a Sunday I like to share with you, my sweet readers, all of the deliciousness that I have enjoyed as my main meals over the past seven days.
That's seven days of tasty recipes and menu suggestions. I try to keep everything realistic in my cooking, affordable and as nutritious as I can, although to be sure I do sometimes eat something not so healthy like a pizza or what not.
As an older person on a fixed income who lives by themselves, cooking and eating can be a bit of a challenge at times. It can often be very difficult to get in all of the fruits and veggies that we should be eating. I do my best, but I know that I could do better!
I do make a real effort to cook everything for myself wherever possible and from scratch. I am not a person who is very fond of ready-meals or frozen dinners, as easy as it can be to pop one of those into the microwave. They are usually loaded with fat, sugar and salt, not to mention more often than not disappointing. I prefer to cook my own meals.
Nothing I cook is really complicated. I like to keep it fairly simple most of the time. I also like to keep it affordable. I often pare down the sizes of my recipes to make only one or two servings and in the instances where I can't, I will freeze the excess in single serving amounts, ready to take out and enjoy on a day when I am pressed for time and won't be able to cook much from scratch.
I normally eat my main meal around early to mid-afternoon. Breakfast is usually a protein shake, granola or toast. I will have a very light meal later in the day and by that, I mean usually a salad, or some toast, maybe some fruit and sometimes even a bowl of cereal. (My favorite is rice crispies with bananas, or granola with yogurt and a squirt of date syrup.)
I do like to keep my food varied as well. I don't like being bored, so I try to make my meals as interesting as possible. And with all that having been said, here are the main meals I enjoyed over the past seven days. I hope you will be inspired to want to cook a few of them for yourself as well!
SUNDAY, November 30th - Dinner at Cindy's
I had a delicious family dinner at my sister's place on Sunday. Roast chicken with stuffing and roasted veggies. She did not make gravy this time she had a Swiss Chalet Style dipping sauce. It was all very delicious. In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Another Roast Chicken. Can you ever have too many roast chicken recipes? I think not! This one is spatchcocked and roasted on a bed of veggies.
I am also including my homemade recipe for the Swiss Chalet Dipping Sauce. This tastes just like the real deal. I developed it when I was living in the U.K. and could not get the dipping sauce packets there. This is fabulously tasty, and great with chicken on the day or leftover chicken. Great any time!
MONDAY, December 1st - Easy Cauliflower & Cheese Soup
It was a cold and blustery day. I wanted something quick and easy that would warm me up quickly. I also had a cauliflower that needed using up. Cue in a delicious soup. Cauliflower and Cheese Soup, one of my favorites! Ultra creamy with very simple ingredients.
There really isn't anything out of the ordinary here. I love recipes like this that take ordinary ingredients and turn them into something out of this world delicious, and without a lot of effort! I enjoyed a nice bowl of this with more cheese crumbled over top and some crisp crackers on the side. It was most satisfying!
TUESDAY, December 2nd - Flat Meatballs and Gravy
On Tuesday I enjoyed Flat Meatballs and Gravy which is one of my absolute favorite meals. II actually had some hamburger that I needed to use and so I made myself a small batch of these flat meatballs. I absolutely love this dish. It was always a favorite of my children also.
These are so simple and so delicious. Beautiful, tender meatballs in a lush mushroom gravy. Quick and easy to make. I enjoyed with some cooked rice and carrots on the side, and had enough to freeze for another time.
I had dinner out with Cindy and Dad on Wednesday night. We went to The Big Scoop. The snow had cleared enough by then that the roads were not too bad and Dad really enjoys eating out on Wednesday nights. If we didn't go with him he would try to take himself and we don't want him doing that.
We went to The Big Scoop which is a local place. The food there is pretty much hit and miss. The food used to be really good there, but since they changed ownership I think the quality has gone down a lot. I ordered a Denver Sandwich with some onion rings on the side. I am not sure what they brought me, but it wasn't a Denver Sandwich. I was all egg and onion and there was chips, not onion rings. I don't like their chips they shake them in some kind of seasoning that I don't really enjoy. Far too salty.
In its place I am sharing my recipe for a Baked Western Sandwich with Oven hash. This is another small batch recipe and makes enough for two sandwiches. The omelet bakes in the oven on a small sheet pan. Some hashed potatoes and onions bake separately. Altogether this makes for a really delicious meal that I always really enjoy every once in a while. Economical too.
I like a pork chop every now and again and because I don't eat them very often, I really want it to be tender, juicy and to taste good. I had made this before and it was really good. The recipe makes one serving, but can be multiplied.
I was really craving some fish on Friday. I like to have fish at least once a week if I can. Usually, it will be in the form of tinned tuna or salmon, which are real budget savers. They are also considered oily fish which is very good for you.
This week I made myself a Tuna Loaf with Mustard Cream. I downsized the recipe to make a much smaller portion, cutting the original recipe in half. I also chose to bake it in custard cups rather than in a loaf tin. Difference size, but still delicious. It also cut the bake time down a bit.
I did make the lush mustard cream to go with it. The two are perfect partners. I confess this time I enjoyed it with some oven wedged potatoes that I cooked in the oven as well and some mixed frozen vegetables. This was a delicious and simple meal. I was able to freeze the extra portions of the tuna for another time.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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