Pesto Salmon Lasagna
Pesto Salmon Lasagna has succulent salmon layered with sun-dried tomato, parmesan bechamel sauce, creamy ricotta with pesto and herbs, cheese, and tender pasta. This decadent dish is perfect for a Sunday dinner, romantic meal, or any occasion when you want to show extra love to someone special.
Ingredients
For the salmon
- 2 ½ lb salmon skin on
- 1 tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
For the pesto ricotta
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced (90 grams)
- 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
For the panko topping
- 2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp plain panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
- ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
For the parmesan bechamel sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp whole grain mustard
- 2 tsp kosher salt
For the lasagna
- 1 lb lasagna noodles see Notes
- cooking spray
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil julienne-cut, drained
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz shredded provolone cheese
- garnish: chopped fresh basil and parsley
Instructions
Bake the salmon
- Set the oven to heat to 400℉. Put a large pot of water to boil.
- While oven is heating, lay the salmon on piece of parchment paper on a bake sheet. Alternatively, lay salmon directly on bake sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake salmon at 400℉ for 15-20 minutes until fish is just cooked through and flakes with fork. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350℉.
Make the pesto ricotta
- While salmon is baking, mix the ingredients for the pesto ricotta in a bowl. Set aside.
Make the panko topping
- Also while the salmon is baking, combine the ingredients for the panko topping in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Cook the pasta
- Once the salmon is done, put the lasagna noodles into the boiling water and set time to cook al dente according to package directions.
- Once done, drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking and prevent pasta from sticking.
Make the parmesan bechamel sauce
- While pasta is cooking, make the bechamel: melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Simmer 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Whisk is the parmesan, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and salt. Set aside.
Assemble the lasagna
- Spray a 13 x 9 bake dish with cooking spray. Ladle a scant ~1/4 cup bechamel sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
- Lay 3 noodles in the dish. Layer ~1/3 of the salmon and of the sun-dried tomatoes. Layer ~1/4 of the mozzarella and provolone cheeses.
- Lay 3 noodles over the salmon and cheeses. Spread ~1/3 of the pesto ricotta over the noodles.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Layer 3 noodles. Top with the last ~1/3 of the salmon and sun-dried tomatoes. Layer ~1/4 each of the mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Drop spoonful amounts of the remaining ~1/3 of the pesto ricotta over the cheeses.
- Layer the last 3 noodles. Spread the last of the bechamel sauce over the noodles. Layer the last of the mozzarella and provolone cheeses.
- Sprinkle the panko topping over the top of the lasagna. Cover bake dish tightly with foil.
Bake lasagna
- Bake the covered lasagna at 350℉ for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until bubbly around the edges and golden over top.
- Let the lasagna to sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This will allow the layers to set and hold together when serving.
Notes
It helps greatly to gather all of the ingredients together prior to starting or while oven is heating.
A 1 lb (16 oz) box of lasagna noodles contains 20 noodles. This recipe uses 18 noodles, so you will end up with two extras. Lasagna noodles sometimes tear while cooking, so it helps to have a couple extra.
For step 5 under "Assemble the lasagna": what we are doing is omitting a pasta layer because 1) a box of lasagna noodles doesn't come with enough, and 2) we want the lasagna to fit in the bake dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcal (31%) | Carbohydrates: 38g (13%) | Protein: 45g (90%) | Fat: 29g (45%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 141mg (47%) | Sodium: 764mg (33%) | Potassium: 644mg (18%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 5g (6%)
Calorie count is purely an estimate calculated using an online application to serve as a guide and not to be taken as accurate nutritional information. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know!