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Green Lasagna (with Swiss Chard and Zucchini)

Green Lasagna (with Swiss Chard & Zucchini)

A few weeks ago, I started craving ricotta & spinach lasagna after watching a mouth-watering video on Instagram. Yet I was frustrated because this was off-season, and I couldn't bring myself to make it. 

I tend not to remain frustrated, food-wise, for long. 

The gears in my mind started turning, as usual, at nightfall, when I was tossing and turning in bed. Green lasagna. That was what I wanted. With cheese. Ain't nobody said spinach was needed specifically ! Nor ricotta. 

I was only a few google researchs away from my solution : the beloved Swiss Chard.

Swiss chard is at its best between May and October, which makes it perfect for your springy or summery cravings. Earthy, slightly bitter when raw, like Spinach, it turns mild and sweet when cooked, especially the leaves. It needs to be cooked a bit longer than Spinach, especially because of its fibrous stems. 

To remove any remaining bitterness, I decided to combine Swiss Chard with Zucchinis. When I settled on zucchinis, I thought : Goat Cheese ! Yay ! I could taste this great pairing in my mouth, and couldn't wait to give it life. 

I was left dumbfounded by the fresh, fragrant yet generous taste of this lasagna dish ; you'd think it quite plain, with mostly, well, greens, but it was quite the opposite. The herbs used -mint, basil, chives and oregano- were instrumental in bringing that fragrance and freshness, aided by the bright acidity goat cheese and lemon provide. The richness of the creamy béchamel and the Pecorino romano leaves you craving for more after each mouthful.

Green Lasagna with Swiss Chard and Zucchini (Veggie) - Recipe

Ingredients - Pieces of advice

  • You can either pick fresh lasagna sheets or dry ones.
    • If choosing dry ones, you'll need to cook them 10mn longer, and to make sure your béchamel is liquid enough. Then it works great ! 
  • If you're feeling lazy, you can replace swiss chard with frozen spinach, which saves quite a bit of prep time. You simply thaw them, squeeze them well, and slice them up roughly. That's it !
  • You don't need a fancy goat cheese log for these lasagna ; I used a supermarket one, and it worked well. 

Off to your kitchen now !

Note : This happens to be a vegetarian dish, and I have never thought of it as such -I assure you your omnivore friends will be equally thrilled by this wonder !  

Cooking Method , ,
Cuisine ,
Courses , ,
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 35 min Cook Time: 40 min Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Servings 6
Best Season Suitable throughout the year
Description

A delightful flaky pie filled with fragrant, herbaceous spinach & lots of feta cheese. 

Ingredients
  • 24 uncooked lasagna sheets
  • 820 grams swiss chard
  • 3 small zucchinis
  • 1 goat cheese log (200g)
  • 3 large shallots
  • 4 large garlic cloves
  • 85 grams parmigiano or pecorino romano
  • 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 lemon (juiced)
  • 1 handful basil
  • 1 handful mint
  • 1/3 chives bunch
  • 10 fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 small tablespoon salt
    • For the Béchamel
  • 100 grams butter
  • 100 grams flour
  • 70 milliliters milk
Instructions
  1. Prep your veggies & herbs

    Wash the Swiss chard. Separate the stalks from the leaves.

    Finely slice the stalks and roughly chop the leaves.

    Wash the zucchinis and slice them into thin half-moons.

    Mince your shallots and garlic.

    Chop your chives, mint and basil.

  2. Cook your swiss chard

    In a pan on medium heat, sauté the shallots in olive oil for 2 minutes.

    Add the chard stalks and cook for 5 minutes.

    Then add the chard leaves, garlic, and half the salt amount.

    Cook for 10 minutes.

    Finish with herbs, pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

  3. & your zucchini

    In a separate pan: cook the zucchini with a half the salt amount, oregano, and garlic.

    Let simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until soft and any liquid has evaporated.

    Finish with herbs, pepper, and lemon juice.

  4. Béchamel time !

    Melt the butter, add the flour and stir for 1 minute (don’t let it brown).

    Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until thickened.

    Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

    If using dry lasagna sheets, make sure your béchamel is runny enough.
  5. Assemble the lasagna

    In a baking dish, layer as follows:

    1. A thin layer of béchamel

    2. Lasagna sheets

    3. The cooked vegetables

    4. Sliced goat cheese

    5. A handful of grated parmesan

    6. A few spoonfuls of béchamel

    Repeat until all ingredients are used up.

  6. Cook & serve !

    Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (fan-forced) for 35–45 minutes.

    Prefer 40–45 min if using dry lasagna sheets.

    Remove foil for the last 5 minutes and broil until golden on top.

    Wait 10-15 minutes before slicing. 

    Serve with some arugula on the side. 

    Et voilà !! You're done !

Keywords: home made, Spanakopita, spanakotyropita, spinach and feta cheese pie, spinach pie, spinach and feta cheese flaky pie, Greek spinach pie, spinach, feta cheese,olive oil
Read it online: https://multicarbs.com/recipe/green-lasagna-with-swiss-chard-and-zucchini/

Thank you for trying out this recipe ! Do not hesitate to leave some feedback. I hope it brightened your day.