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a piece of turkey lasagna

Creamy Turkey Lasagna with White Sauce (Bechamel)

This turkey lasagna with white sauce is all about lots of thin layers of meaty turkey sauce, the SILKIEST nutmeg-scented bechamel, and of course, tender sheets of pasta.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dinners
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

For the Lasagna Noodles:

  • 300 grams all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs

For the Ground Turkey Sauce:

  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 1 onion large
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 2 zucchini small
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 500 grams lean ground turkey
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 300 millilitres water

For the Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce):

  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 750 millilitres whole milk
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For Sprinkling:

  • 65 grams parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

If you're making your own pasta sheets, start here:

  • Pile the flour in a mound on a large cutting board. Create a well in the middle of the flour.  Crack the eggs into the well. Use a fork to begin whisking the eggs. Then begin gradually whisking some of the surrounding flour into the egg mixture, adding more and more until the egg mixture is nice and thick. Once the mixture starts looking somewhat like a dough, start kneading the remainder of the flour in as needed.
  • Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling some extra flour on the cutting board if needed to prevent sticking or if the dough seems too sticky.  (You want the dough to be pretty firm.)  Form the dough into a ball, place an upside-down bowl over it and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Use immediately or seal tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  • Divide the dough into six, and flatten each piece with your hands so they will fit through the pasta roller.
  • Prepare a large tray or baking sheet by lining it with a tea towel and sprinkling it with ample flour. This will be where your noodles hang out before you cook them.
  • Roll each piece of dough through the pasta roller starting on level 1 and gradually increasing to level 6. Transfer the rolled pasta sheets to the prepared tray and sprinkle each sheet with ample flour to prevent them from sticking together. Cut them as needed so they will fit into your baking dish.

Making the Turkey Sauce:

  • Roughly chop the onions and celery, then transfer them to a food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped.
  • Heat the olive oil In a large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and watch them sizzle. Add the onions, celery, and salt. Sweat for 5 minutes with the lid on.
  • Add the zucchini and garlic, cover, and let cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Continue to toss and cook until the turkey is no longer pink.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir, and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes.

Making the Bechamel Sauce:

  • Heat the milk slightly in the microwave.
  • In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter, add the flour and whisk to form a smooth paste.
  • While whisking, gradually add the milk. Drop in the bay leaves, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  • Cover and set aside. This can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Assembling the Lasagna:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a wide, shallow pot, bring 2-3 litres of salted water to a boil. You'll be using this to cook the lasagna sheets 1-2 at a time, for 1-2 minutes each during assembly.
  • While cooking your first two lasagna sheets, pour a heaping cup of turkey sauce into the bottom of an oiled baking dish.
  • Lay down your first layer of cooked lasagna sheets over the sauce layer. Try to jigsaw the noodles together so you have an even layer without too much overlap.
  • Scoop a heaping cup of turkey sauce over the pasta and spread evenly.
  • Drizzle 1/2 cup of bechamel sauce evenly over the turkey sauce. If your bechamel is quite cold, it will have stiffened up a bit. You can warm it gently in the microwave or on the stovetop to make it easier to drizzle.
  • Sprinkle a third of the parmesan cheese over the bechamel, then repeat the layers. Skip the meat sauce in the top layer–finishing with pasta, bechamel, parmesan.
  • Place an oiled piece of parchment paper over the lasagna, and wrap the entire thing tightly with tin foil. Bake for 40 mins covered. Remove the foil and parchment and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
  • Let the lasagna rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy!!

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