Colorful lasagna
- Energy Kcal 868
- Carbohydrates g 90.2
- of which sugars g 13
- Protein g 42.8
- Fats g 36.7
- of which saturated fat g 17.5
- Fiber g 4.6
- Cholesterol mg 208
- Sodium mg 729
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 50 min
- Serving: 6
PRESENTATION
Lasagne colorate really stands out, especially during festive gatherings like a Sunday lunch or a big Carnival celebration in Emilia-Romagna. And here’s the thing: this colorful lasagna isn't just about taste—it's a total feast for the eyes! By mixing beetroot, spinach, and saffron into the pasta dough and the béchamel sauce, you get layers that are bright pink, deep green, and cheerful yellow. Super festive.
It's almost like the Arlecchino costume from old Italian stories. Each bite is both moist and tender, with a creamy feel from the béchamel that ties all those veggies together perfectly. Even though it looks fancy, this is real comfort food, sticking to the traditional flavors loved in Emilia-Romagna for years.
What makes this vegetable lasagna extra special is how it turns a classic, golden-baked layered pasta dish into something really festive—perfect for those who want their Carnival meal to pop with color. The crispy edges from baking add a nice texture, while the sweet notes from the beetroot and the tangy hit from the spinach make every layer taste unique. Families love that this rainbow lasagna fits right in with Carnival’s playful vibes. Which is great.
It's also a smart pick if you’re searching for a healthy lasagna recipe that’s meat-free and packed with veggies. Some towns in Emilia-Romagna even add their own twists, maybe swapping in pumpkin or using wild herbs—depending on the season—so each version has its own surprise.
Whether you’re making it for a holiday or just want a dish that feels really special, a slice of this multicolored lasagna makes the meal feel like a party. So, look, it keeps everyone coming back for seconds. It's a bright way to enjoy flavors with a modern twist, bringing joy and color to any table. For real.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for a 8x12 inch baking dish
- Lasagne egg pasta 1.1 lbs (500 g)
- Onions 1
- Celery 1 rib
- Carrots 1 - medium
- Veal 1.3 lbs (600 g) - ground
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g) - to grate
- Vegetable broth 1 cup (250 g)
- Thyme to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Dry white wine 1.7 oz (50 ml)
- For 1 quart of colorful béchamel
- Whole milk 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
- Spinach 3.3 cups (100 g)
- Butter 7 tbsp (100 g)
- Type 00 flour 0.8 cup (100 g)
- Precooked beets 3 oz (80 g)
- Saffron 1 bag
- Garlic 1 clove
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Nutmeg to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
How to prepare Colorful lasagna
To prepare the colorful lasagna, start with the ragù: prepare a mince of onion, celery, carrot 1 and sauté it over low heat for a few minutes, adding Vegetable broth 2. When the vegetables have softened, add the ground meat 3, stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste; cook the white ragù for at least 30 minutes.
Halfway through cooking, you can deglaze the meat with white wine 4; when the ragù is ready, turn off the heat and set it aside. Meanwhile, prepare the Béchamel sauce: in a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the sifted flour slowly 5, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps 6.
Gradually add the previously warmed milk 7, and continue stirring to thicken the mixture over low heat; you can flavor with grated nutmeg and add a pinch of salt. When the béchamel has reached a creamy consistency, turn off the heat and divide it into three small bowls 8 (cover them with plastic wrap in contact with the surface to prevent a skin from forming). In a separate pan, pour a little oil and the crushed garlic, then cook the previously washed spinach 9.
It will take just a few minutes to wilt them, then season with salt 10 and pepper to taste before turning off the heat. Blend the cooked spinach 11 and set them aside. Proceed with cleaning the beets: cut them into cubes 12
and blend them (13-14), then season with a teaspoon of oil 15 and salt to taste.
Lastly, in a small bowl, dissolve the saffron powder with a little vegetable broth (16-17). Now you have all the preparations ready 18.
Season the bowls of béchamel with the different creams, spinach 19, beetroot 20, and saffron, so as to have three béchamels of different colors and flavors 21.
At this point, take a 8x12 inch rectangular baking dish, pour a little oil and some saffron cream on the bottom. Lay the egg pasta sheets 22, a layer of ragù 23, and a layer of beetroot cream; sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped thyme 24.
Continue with another layer of pasta 25, then alternate the layers with ragù, Parmesan, the other two colorful creams, and thyme until you run out of ingredients (you can finish with the spinach béchamel). Then spread the remaining ragù 26 and sprinkle with Parmesan 27.
Pour the leftover colorful béchamel into piping bags 28 and create colorful decorative patterns 29. You can bake the colorful lasagna in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 40 minutes (or in a fan oven at 320°F for 30 minutes). Take the colorful lasagna out of the oven 30 and serve hot!