This creamy, cheesy, slightly smoky, tomatoey asparagus and speck lasagna recipe is part of my yearly spring tradition of creating a seasonal asparagus-inspired Italian pasticcio.
This lasagna is filled with layers of pan-seared asparagus, delicate slices of Italian Speck (plus a little crispy-fried Speck for even more flavor), intensely sweet homemade tomato passata sauce, and generous helpings of fresh mozzarella, grated Grana Padano cheese, and our famously green (and tasty) asparagus béchamel.
What is Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna?
It's that time of year when Easter is just around the corner, and we also start thinking about how to honor all our favorite Moms out there for Mother's Day.
Garden-fresh asparagus is plentiful and starts popping up everywhere and since it was one of my Mom's all-time favorite vegetables to eat, it's become a yearly tradition to create an asparagus-inspired lasagna or "pasticcio"(pronounced, poss-teecho) every spring.
This is our Year-2 pasticcio -- a creative twist on the traditional Italian "lasagne asparagi e speck" (asparagus and speck lasagna).
Each component is very simple to make, including the asparagus béchamel, zucchini crema, and homemade tomato sauce. When everything is assembled and baked, it looks beautiful (but it tastes even better).
Plus, it travels well and can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen and reheated as needed. You can even assemble and freeze it unbaked, making it a great way to save time on Easter or Mother's Day this year.
If you love lasagna, check out this Authentic Lasagna Bolognese (Lasagne alla Bolognese +Video) post or this Italian Ham & Mozzarella Lasagna (Lasagna di Prosciutto Cotto e Mozzarella)!
Jump to:
- What is Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna?
- Why You'll Love This Italian Lasagna Recipe
- Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna Ingredients
- How to Make Asparagus & Speck Lasagna
- Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna Step-by-Step Recipe Photos
- How to Meal Prep: Bake it, Portion it, Freeze it, Reheat + Repeat.
- More Easy Lasagna Recipes
- FAQ's
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Italian Lasagna Recipe
- It's melty, gooey, creamy, and delicious
- Each component is easy to make
- Adding pan-seared asparagus gives it even more flavor
- Speck gives this lasagna a slightly smoky flavor vibe we love
- Asparagus béchamel adds even more creaminess
- Easy to make this a vegetarian lasagna by omitting the speck
Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna Ingredients
Lots of tasty ingredients make up the components of this lasagna, but they're all very easy to pull together. I've highlighted asparagus in this lasagna and complemented it with asparagus béchamel sauce, an easy tomato passata sauce, smoky Italian speck (some of it crispy-fried for extra flavor, and some regular), along with fresh balls of mozzarella and Grana Padano cheese.
- Spinach lasagna noodles (or plain lasagna egg noodles)
- Fresh asparagus
- Italian Speck di Asiago
- Fresh mozzarella (or shredded mozzarella)
- Grana Padano cheese (or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese)
- Asparagus Béchamel
- Italian Tomato Passata Sauce
- Zucchini
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
How to Make Asparagus & Speck Lasagna
This lasagna has a few components, but once they're all made, assembly is a breeze. Step-by-step assembly photos follow below.
Step 1. Make the tomato sauce. Use one of our linked pasta sauces or your favorite recipe. Set aside.
Step 2. Make the asparagus béchamel sauce. Make the béchamel as called for, cover with sustainable cling film, and set aside.
Step 3. Make the zucchini crema. Sauté a garlic clove in olive oil until blistered and fragrant, then add diced zucchini and cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes until tender and slightly browned. Remove the garlic and purée until smooth. No blender? Smash the mixture with the back of a fork until slightly smooth.
Step 4. Cook a portion of the Speck. Trim the larger fat edges from the Speck slices and render the fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add a small handful of the tougher meat parts and cook until crispy. Remove to a cutting board and finely chop. Save the rest of the Speck for layering into the lasagna.
Step 5. Blanch and pan-sear 7 oz (200g) of asparagus for the layers. Blanch in lightly salted boiling water for about 1 minute until bright green. Remove, shake off excess water, and sear in a pre-heated skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly crispy. Slice into bite-sized pieces and toss with the crispy Speck. Don't overcook here because the asparagus cooks further in the oven.
Step 6. Blanch 5 oz (150g) of asparagus for the top. Blanch for about 1 minute until bright green, then immediately transfer to an ice water bath for 2 minutes. Pat dry and slice each spear in half vertically from top to bottom. Set aside.
Step 7. Assemble the lasagna. Spread a ladle of béchamel across the bottom of your lasagna dish (or 9x13 inch baking dish) and build the layers as follows:
Layer 1: Tomato sauce, Grana Padano, lasagna noodles
Layer 2: Béchamel, half the asparagus and crispy Speck mixture, tomato sauce, Speck, Grana Padano, mozzarella, lasagna noodles
Layer 3: All of the zucchini crema, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, remaining asparagus and crispy Speck mixture, torn pieces of Speck, lasagna noodles
Layer 4 (Top): Béchamel, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Grana Padano, blanched asparagus spear halves
Step 8. Bake the lasagna. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (176°C) for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes more until bubbling and golden brown. Let the lasagna rest 15 to 20 minutes before serving. You can also broil at the end to brown the top, but keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.
Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card.
Italian Speck & Asparagus Lasagna Step-by-Step Recipe Photos
Make Classic Tomato Sauce
Prepare the Asparagus and Speck
Make the Zucchini Crema
How to Make the Asparagus Béchamel
How to Assemble the lasagna
LASAGNA ASSEMBLY LIST BY LAYERS:
Lasagna Assembly (Bottom to Top):
Layer 1: Béchamel, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, lasagna noodles
Layer 2: Béchamel, half the asparagus and crispy Speck mixture, tomato sauce, Speck, Grana Padano, mozzarella, lasagna noodles
Layer 3: All of the zucchini crema, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, remaining asparagus and crispy Speck mixture, torn Speck, lasagna noodles
Layer 4 (Top): Béchamel, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Grana Padano, blanched asparagus spear halves
How to Meal Prep: Bake it, Portion it, Freeze it, Reheat + Repeat.
Like any lasagna recipe, this is a favorite meal prep dish for us to make ahead of time and freeze into portions that we can pull out of the freezer to reheat for an effortless weeknight meal.
It's always easiest to slice and portion it the day after it's been baked and chilled overnight in the fridge. You can simply reheat in the oven, or in a skillet drizzled with a little olive oil over medium heat covered with a lid until warmed through.
More Easy Lasagna Recipes
If you love pasta as much as we do, below are a few of our favorites that we think you might also enjoy.
FAQ's
Place the lasagna under the broiler during the last 10 minutes of baking time to get that bubbly, golden brown top. Just be sure to watch it so it doesn't burn. Remove it from the oven when your desired color is reached.
Italian lasagna (also known as lasagna al forno) is usually much lighter and less heavy than American lasagna. American lasagna typically uses a mixture of ricotta (or cottage cheese), mozzarella, parmesan, and an egg to bind it all together. Italians typically use béchamel sauce plus Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese and a little mozzarella. That's not to say Italians don't make lasagna with ricotta and Parmigiano mixtures, but it's not as typical. When you do see a variation of this ricotta mixture, it's often for a vegetarian-style lasagna that includes ricotta, Parmigiano, spinach, and maybe béchamel, and it's not often accompanied by a red sauce. Italians also use fresh egg or dried egg lasagna noodles instead of semolina or durum wheat-only pasta. The egg noodles are much thinner and more delicate with a nice chew versus the typical boil-and-bake style noodle most Americans grew up eating. And cottage cheese isn't used in Italy as a substitute for ricotta like a lot of us grew up with in the South.
Speck is a type of smoked prosciutto from the Alto Adige (pronounced owl-toe ahh-dih-jay) region of Italy near the Austrian border. It's most famously produced in the mountainous city of Asiago, which sits between the glacial Alps and the Dolomite mountains. This totally unique position allows for a special and uncommon microflora to flourish that isn't found anywhere else in the world. During the smoking and curing process (at least 22 weeks), these fungi perfume and intensely flavor the pork, which is why Speck di Asiago tastes so good and has IGP and DOP status. It's sliced paper-thin like all prosciutto, and when it's fried, the flavor isn't totally dissimilar to fried bacon. Try it. It's incredibly delicious and pairs beautifully with Asiago cheese.
Asparagus originates from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It was cultivated by the Greeks and Romans, so revered that it was offered to the gods as a sacrifice for blessings and used in ancient Egypt as medicine. Of course, it was first found in the wild. In Italy, you can still go asparagus hunting like Luca's parents used to do when he was a kid. It's harvested in the spring around April through May and is an excellent source of nutrition.
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Print📖 Recipe
Speck & Asparagus Lasagna (w/Asparagus Béchamel + Zucchini Crema)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 people depending on hunger level
Description
This smoky Speck and Asparagus Lasagna is filled with layers of pan-seared asparagus, delicate slices of Italian Speck (plus a little crispy-fried Speck for even more flavor), sweet homemade tomato passata sauce, and generous helpings of fresh mozzarella, grated Grana Padano cheese, and a tasty green asparagus béchamel. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, or Mother's Day!
Ingredients
- 12 sheets (7 ounces) spinach or plain lasagna egg noodles (200g)
- 5 ounces fresh asparagus cleaned and trimmed (150g) *for decorating top of the lasagna
- 7 ounces asparagus cleaned and trimmed (200g) *for layering inside lasagna
- 3 ½ ounces Italian Speck di Asiago sliced paper-thin (100g)
- 2 balls (7 ounces) of fresh mozzarella, diced or hand-shredded (200g) (sub whole milk mozzarella)
- 3 ounces Grana Padano cheese, or Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (90g)
- ½ recipe Asparagus Béchamel
- 1 recipe Italian Tomato Passata Sauce or 1 recipe Classic Italian Tomato Sauce
- zucchini crema (ingredients below)
Zucchini Crema Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, diced (453g)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (14g)
- salt to taste
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the tomato sauce. Make one of our linked pasta sauces, or use your favorite recipe and set aside.
- Make the asparagus-béchamel sauce. Make the béchamel sauce as called for, cover with sustainable cling film, and set aside.
- Make the zucchini crema. In a medium pot, sauté the garlic clove in the olive oil until blistered and fragrant. Add diced zucchini and cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender and slightly browned. Remove the garlic clove. Purée the mixture in the bowl of a food processor (or blender) until smooth. Remove to a bowl and set aside. *If you don't have a blender, simply smash the mixture with the back of a fork until slightly smooth.
- Cook a portion of the speck. Remove the larger fat trim from around the edges of the Speck slices and cook it over medium heat in a skillet. Add a small handful of the tough or drier meat parts of speck (the meat part) and cook along with the fat until crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove the crispy Speck to a cutting board and finely chop. *Use only a small portion of speck to fry because the rest will be layered into the lasagna (see photos below).
- Blanch 7 ounces of asparagus + pan-sear it (for slicing and layering into the lasagna). Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add 7 ounces (200g) of asparagus, and blanch for approximately 1 minute until asparagus has turned bright green. Using tongs, remove the blanched asparagus from the water, shake off excess water, and place them in a single layer directly into a pre-heated skillet drizzled with olive oil and cook over medium-high heat. Season with salt and sear the asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Flip them over and brown the other side. When asparagus is a little crispy and nicely browned, remove them to a cutting board, and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Add the asparagus slices to the bowl with crispy fried speck and toss everything together. *Be sure to not overcook asparagus in this step (because they cook further in the oven while the lasagna bakes).
- Blanch 5 ounces of asparagus (for decorating the top of the lasagna). In the same pot of boiling water, add 5 ounces (150g) of asparagus, and blanch for approximately 1 minute until it's turned bright green. Immediately remove the asparagus from the boiling water, and drop them into a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes just until they are cooled through and no longer cooking. Remove them from the ice water, pat dry, and slice each asparagus spear in half vertically (from top to bottom). Set aside until ready to decorate the assembled lasagna.
- Assemble the lasagna. Assemble the lasagna by adding a ladle of béchamel and spreading it out onto the bottom of a lasagna dish (or 9x13 inch baking dish) and start building the remaining layers as outlined below ending with the halved asparagus spears to decorate the top of the lasagna. *for step-by-step photos of lasagna assembly scroll to the end of the post.
- tomato sauce, Grana Padano, lasagna noodles, béchamel, ½ of the chopped asparagus + crispy prosciutto mixture, tomato sauce, Speck, Grana Padano, mozzarella, lasagna noodles, all of the zucchini crema, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, last ½ of the chopped asparagus + crispy prosciutto mixture, torn pieces of speck, lasagna noodles, béchamel, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Grana Padano, end by decorating with the blanched asparagus spear halves.
- Bake the lasagna. Cover the lasagna tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350°F/176°C oven for 50 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake uncovered until bubbling and golden brown on top (about 10-15 minutes more). Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. You may also turn on the broiler to brown the top, but be sure to stay and keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Enjoy!
Notes
- During baking, if you notice a pool of asparagus liquid on the top of the lasagna, don't worry. Slightly tilt the lasagna away from you (or towards you) and allow the liquid to seep into the sides of the lasagna. You may have to do this up to two times if you're working with large asparagus which contains more water. Continue cooking until the top of the lasagna is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned all over.
LASAGNA ASSEMBLY IN ORDER OF LAYERS
- Asparagus béchamel, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, lasagna noodles, béchamel, ½ of the chopped asparagus-crispy speck mixture, tomato sauce, speck, Grana Padano, mozzarella, lasagna noodles, all of the zucchini crema, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, last half of asparagus-crispy speck mixture, torn pieces of Speck. lasagna noodles. asparagus béchamel, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Grana Padano, blanched asparagus spear halves to decorate the top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛
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