Spring Vegetable Lasagne with Bacon, Leeks & Herbs

Fri, 10 April 2026

Spring Vegetable Lasagne with Bacon, Leeks & Herbs

Serves 4

A lighter, brighter take on lasagne, sweet leeks, smoky bacon, and spring greens layered with silky béchamel and fresh pasta. It’s different enough to shake up your repertoire but familiar enough to hold the comforting vibes of a traditional lasagne. Feel free to make it your own, add some leftover chicken, ham, nuggets of Italian sausage, or salami instead of the bacon. Swap the asparagus for tender stem broccoli and the kale for spinach. Mushrooms are still in season and they pair wonderfully with crispy chorizo! What I am saying is that this is very flexible method/recipe to have! It is the dish I turn to when seasons change and I get an urge to have a little fun with the hero veggies of the time of year (Irish veg where possible of course).

Ingredients

200g smoked bacon lardons

2 medium leeks, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small bunch rosemary (1 sprig for milk, a few flowers to finish)

Small bunch chives, finely chopped

A few fennel fronds (optional)

1 bunch asparagus, cut into bitesized pieces

100g cavolo nero, stems removed, finely sliced

150g frozen peas

200-250g fresh lasagne sheets

For the béchamel

50g butter

2 heaped dessert spoons flour

650-700ml milk

1 garlic clove, lightly crushed

1 small sprig rosemary

Small handful finely grated parmesan

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Salt and black pepper

To finish

60g parmesan, finely grated

1 ball mozzarella (125g), torn

Extra chives

Rosemary flowers

Good olive oil

Equipment

Chopping board, sharp knife, scrap bowl, small saucepan, medium saucepan, large frying pan, plastic or wooden spatula for stirring, microplane grater, whisk, dessertspoon, plastic spatula to spread the sauce,  slotted spoon/tongs, lasagne dish big enough for four portions.

Method

1. Get your oven onto 180°C (fan 160°C). 
2. Pour the milk into a small saucepan with the garlic and rosemary and warm it gently until it’s just about to steam. Then take it off the heat and let it sit while you get on with everything else.
3. Put a large frying pan on a medium heat and cook the lardons until golden and crisp. Lift them out with a spoon and set aside, you’ll come back to them. Leave the lovely bacon fat in the pan.
4. Add the leeks to the same pan with a pinch of salt and let them cook slowly, stirring now and then, until they’re really soft and sweet. This is worth taking your time over, about 8–10 minutes. Just enough time to make the béchamel.
5. While the leeks are doing their thing, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and let it cook for a minute or two.
   Strain your infused milk, then slowly whisk it in until smooth. Let it bubble gently until thickened, stirring so it stays silky. Add the parmesan, a pinch of nutmeg if you like, and season well. Keep it on a low heat so it stays warm and pourable. You can add a layer of baking parchment to stop a skin forming.
6. Back to the leeks. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the cavolo nero and let it soften slightly, then the asparagus, peas, chives and fennel fronds. You’re just taking the raw edge off everything, not fully cooking it. Return the bacon to the pan and let it all cook together for another minute or so, just to let any extra moisture cook off. Then take it off the heat.
7. Spoon a thin layer of béchamel into the base of your baking dish. Add a layer of pasta, then some of the veg and bacon, a spoonful of béchamel, and a sprinkle of parmesan with a little mozzarella. Repeat until you’ve used everything up, finishing with a final layer of pasta, béchamel, the remaining parmesan, and a light scattering of mozzarella over the top.
8. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until it’s bubbling and golden on top.
9. Give it 10–15 minutes to sit before serving, it’ll hold together much better, promise. Just before bringing it to the table, add a fresh grating of parmesan, a scatter of chives and a few rosemary flowers, then a light drizzle of olive oil.