Spinach and artichoke is not just a dip anymore, but a concept for how we can develop these flavors in other meals. Lasagna is one of those blank slates for us as chefs to customize and create into something new. Taking the principles of spinach and artichoke dip and implementing those into one tasty lasagna featuring a cream cheese and ricotta spinach filling, a lemony smooth artichoke puree as the sauce, and a creamy parmesan cheese sauce throughout that makes this lasagna unlike any you’ve tasted before. Wait until you try this one!

Lasagna is an art in assembling, but the true art comes from the prep. The prep in a lasagna will always take up time, but the end result is beautiful. We have three major components to this other than the pasta noodles themselves. A cheese sauce, a cheese filling, and an artichoke sauce.

Now, the way I see lasagna is a simple formula of pasta plus sauce, plus filling, with toppings that’s baked. Seeing things this way means that these components can be categorized to fit different food flavor profiles. I started by thinking of recreating hot dips into lasagna simply because it’s already hot and usually creamy. Spinach and Artichoke dip is a combination that already has it’s place in lasagna, especially spinach. This version focuses on the dip inputting cream cheese and lemony artichoke sauce. Let’s get into the details!

For the sauce, we have an artichoke puree. I wanted to contrast the other two components that are cheese-heavy with something acidic and lighter tasting. This puree is in place of a tomato sauce that would normally give this contrast. It’s made by cooking artichoke hearts in vegetable broth with some minced garlic, butter, and fresh lemon. Simple, yet effective when blended into a smooth sauce. Be sure to strain the sauce in a mesh sieve before using to remove any stringy, choke parts of the artichoke.

The next step is to make the filling. This may be the most familiar filling to those of you cooks out there who’ve dabbled in spinach fillings for lasagna or ravioli before. It’s a standard spinach filling, but with extra richness from cream cheese. Remember, we are balancing the dip and the lasagna, so adding the cream cheese here brings the dip’s classic flavor to the surface.

The last step before assembling is making a velvety cheese sauce. If you’re new to béchamel, I would take this step nice and slow, starting with a roux of equal parts butter and flour, then adding the milk in. Bring the mixture to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to low. Whisk your butt off throughout this milk process to get the smoothest texture. Slowly add the cheese in handful by handfuls until it’s incorporated. Grated Parmesan tends to take its sweet time melting in the milk sauce, so really whisk it in before adding another handful. If at all, the sauce becomes grainy, you can blend, hand-blend, or strain the sauce to make it smooth. It’s all about texture.

Taking your lasagna out of the oven, you will be reminded that you MADE this masterpiece. The smell, the look, and the taste are all byproducts of the love and attention you gave to each component. Be sure to taste every component, layer with love, and kiss it before baking in the oven. You will NOT regret making this lasagna.