Broccoli and Cooked Ham Lasagne: The Creamy, Delicate Oven-Baked Recipe
When it’s cold outside, there’s only one remedy: a steaming oven-baked lasagna!
Today I bring you into my kitchen to prepare Creamy Broccoli and Cooked Ham Lasagne, a light and refined alternative to the classic ragù, but with a comfort-food result that is second to none.
This is the perfect dish to serve on Sunday or when you have guests and want to impress without going crazy at the stove.
The real secret of this recipe is the broccoli cream. We don’t use broccoli in pieces; instead we sauté them in a pan with garlic and, if you like, a pinch of chili, and then mash them.
This way we create a spreadable cream that blends perfectly with the béchamel, making every bite incredibly soft and moist, saying goodbye to dry lasagne!
The pairing with cooked ham is a choice of pure sweetness and delicacy. Its balanced flavor pairs perfectly with the slightly bitter taste of broccoli and the savoriness of melted mozzarella.
Layering is the most fun part! We’ll alternate fresh pasta, béchamel, our bright green cream, cubes of cooked ham and mozzarella. The final touch?
A beautiful oven gratin for that golden, irresistible crust. Let’s get our hands in the dough — it’s time to bake the perfect winter lasagne!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients – BROCCOLI AND HAM LASAGNE
- 9 oz egg lasagna sheets
- 1.1 lb broccoli (Florets only)
- 5.3 oz cooked ham (Sliced, diced or cut into strips)
- 1 2/3 cups béchamel
- 10.6 oz mozzarella (well-drained and cubed)
- 3 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Pot
- Colander
- Pan
- Baking pan
Procedure – BROCCOLI AND HAM LASAGNE
Separate the broccoli into florets and boil them in plenty of salted boiling water until very tender (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan with the chopped garlic. Drain the broccoli and immediately sauté them in the pan. Stir and then mash them with a wooden spoon or a fork to create a real cream. Cook for about 5 minutes to remove excess water and to enhance the flavor.
Have all the ingredients ready at hand: the pasta sheets, the broccoli cream, the cooked ham, the mozzarella and the cheeses.
Begin by greasing the baking dish and spreading a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom. Cover with the first sheet of lasagna. Filling sequence for each layer: a generous layer of béchamel; the broccoli cream spread evenly; the cooked ham diced or in strips; a handful of cubed mozzarella; a sprinkle of grated cheese.
Continue this sequence until the ingredients are used up. The last layer must be covered with plenty of béchamel and finished with a generous amount of grated cheese. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 356 °F for 35 minutes or until the surface is nicely golden and gratinated. Remove the lasagne from the oven and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This rest is essential to allow the cheese to firm up!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
Broccoli: Feel free to use cauliflower or Romanesco broccoli (same quantity). The texture will be similar, but Romanesco will give a more delicate flavor.
Cooked Ham: Choose a high-quality cooked ham, preferably in a single slice to cut into thicker cubes. Alternatively, for a more pronounced flavor, you can replace it with 5.3 oz of speck (briefly seared in a pan) or crumbled sausage (see variations).
Béchamel: If you want a more flavorful, thicker béchamel, add an extra 2 oz of grated cheese, mixing it directly into the béchamel before using it for the layers.
Storage
Lasagne are perfect to prepare in advance! They keep in the refrigerator, cooked and well covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. To reheat, use the oven at 302 °F to avoid drying them out or losing the surface crispness. They can also be frozen (either cooked or uncooked, but well sealed).
Alternatives and Recipe Variations
Broccoli and Sausage Lasagne: Replace the 5.3 oz of cooked ham with 5.3 oz of fresh sausage, crumbled and cooked in a pan. Add a drizzle of oil to the broccoli mixture to compensate for the missing fat from the ham.
Vegetarian Version (Broccoli and Walnuts): Omit the cooked ham. Add 3 oz of cow ricotta to the broccoli cream and scatter 2 oz of chopped walnuts between the layers along with the mozzarella. Ricotta and walnuts pair beautifully.
Gluten-Free Lasagne: You can easily find dry gluten-free lasagna sheets on the market. In that case, make the béchamel slightly looser by adding about 3.5 tablespoons of milk (50 ml) extra to ensure proper hydration of the dry pasta sheets.
Use and Pairings
This lasagna is a complete, satisfying main dish, but here’s how to best enhance it:
Main Course: It is the absolute protagonist of the meal. Perfect for Sunday lunch or as the main dish at a dinner with friends.
Light Side: To balance the meal, serve a simple green salad or mixed greens with a drizzle of oil and lemon for an acidic note that “cuts” through the creaminess.
Recommended Wine: An aromatic white wine of medium body is ideal, such as a Vermentino from Sardinia or a Fiano d’Avellino. Their aroma and freshness will cleanse the palate from the dish’s creaminess.
The “Chef’s Tip” for a Perfectly Sliced Lasagne
Do you know what makes the difference between a lasagna that falls apart and one that holds its shape? Temperature! For a clean, precise cut where all the layers are visible, let the lasagna rest outside the oven for at least 10-15 minutes before sliding in the spatula. During this time, the béchamel and the mozzarella firm up slightly, guaranteeing the stability of your perfect slice.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes, it’s possible! I recommend boiling them from frozen, but extend the cooking time by a few minutes. After boiling, however, it is essential to drain them very well and sauté them in the pan long enough to eliminate all excess water. This prevents the lasagna from becoming too watery.
2. Can I prepare the broccoli mixture in advance?
Of course! The broccoli cream flavored in the pan can be prepared a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will greatly speed up the assembly process the next day.
3. What if my béchamel is too thick?
No panic! If your béchamel is too thick, simply add one tablespoon of milk (cold or hot) at a time, whisking vigorously with a whisk, until it reaches the desired consistency, which should be fluid but not watery.
