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one portion of lasagna with distinct soft pasta layers, smooth muted pale-green basil-walnut béchamel sauce evenly coating small half-inch pale potato cubes and short one-inch cooked green-bean pieces, with softly melted pale mozzarella on top, no browned blisters or crust, no ricotta-like curds, tomato sauce, spinach or garnish
Andre Lewis

Crockpot Pesto Lasagna

Make the pesto thick enough to coat a spoon, then loosen it through the white sauce before layering. That spreads the basil and walnut flavor evenly instead of leaving oily green pockets beside dry noodles. Small potato cubes and short green-bean pieces give this meatless lasagna a different filling from a tomato-and-ricotta version. Steam the vegetables briefly first so their centers don’t set the cooking time for the pasta. The sauce will become a softer, duller green during the slow cook, which is normal for cooked basil.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 8 oz green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1 small garlic clove peeled
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt divided
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter for sauce
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted vegetable broth
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp butter for the cooker
  • 9 oz dry oven-ready no-boil lasagna sheets
  • 6 oz low-moisture mozzarella shredded

Method
 

  1. Put potatoes in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover and steam for 7 minutes. Add green beans and steam for 3 minutes more until both are partly tender, then spread on a tray to stop steaming.
  2. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes and cool briefly. Blend with basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt to make a thick pesto.
  3. Melt sauce butter in a saucepan and stir in flour for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and broth, add remaining salt and pepper and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly thickened; remove from heat and stir in all the pesto.
  4. Butter a 6-quart slow cooker and spread 3/4 cup pesto sauce over the bottom. Divide dry noodles into three groups, breaking to fit without thick overlaps.
  5. Layer one group of noodles, one-third of the potatoes and beans, one-third of the remaining sauce and one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat twice, keeping every noodle edge coated.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, checking at 2 1/2 hours, until the center pasta and potatoes are tender and the filling reaches 165°F. Switch off, uncover and rest for 20 minutes before cutting into eight portions.