Three-cheese lasagne with pork sausage, kale and lemon

Name: Three-cheese lasagne with pork sausage, kale and lemon
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 8-10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 4-6 eschalots (French shallots), peeled and halved lengthways; 1kg pork and fennel sausages, skins removed, meat roughly chopped; 1 bunch Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), large stems removed, leaves sliced; zest of 2 lemons; 6-8 fresh lasagne sheets; 400g mixed grated cheese (I used mozzarella, parmesan and havarti)

As the evenings cool, settle in with a slab of piping hot, cheesy goodness. A rich, leafy take on the classic that makes every bit of effort worth it.

Katrina Meynink

March 23, 2026

Three-cheese lasagne with overhanging edges for extra crispy bits.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:8-10

Lasagne is a labour of love, but every layer and comforting spoonful of home-made bechamel provides the payoff. There is nothing greater than an oversized slab of piping hot lasagne and a glass of red on a cool evening.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
4-6 eschalots (French shallots), peeled and halved lengthways
1kg pork and fennel sausages, skins removed, meat roughly chopped
1 bunch Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), large stems removed, leaves sliced
zest of 2 lemons
6-8 fresh lasagne sheets
400g mixed grated cheese (I used mozzarella, parmesan and havarti)

BECHAMEL sauce

85g butter
85g plain flour
800ml milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to season

Method

Step 1
Place a large frying pan over low heat. Add the olive oil, and once hot, add the shallots and cook gently for 5 minutes or until caramelised and soft. Add the sausage meat and cook for 10 minutes or until caramelised and cooked through. Break up any larger chunks with a wooden spoon. Scoop into a bowl.
Step 2
Return the frying pan to the heat and add the kale, lemon zest and a splash of water. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the kale is soft but still vibrantly green. Add to the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to assemble.
Step 3
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat until foaming. Whisk in the flour vigorously until fully incorporated and the mixture starts to pull away from the sides. Slowly stream in the milk, whisking constantly for about 10 minutes until thickened and smooth. Stir through the nutmeg and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside. Note: The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits; if it becomes too stiff, simply whisk in an extra splash of milk to maintain a pouring consistency.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
Step 5
To assemble, generously grease a 3-litre ovenproof dish and line the base with pasta sheets trimmed to fit. Spread a third of the meat mixture over the base, followed by a layer of bechamel and a scatter of cheese. Season well.
Step 6
Repeat the layers two or three more times, finishing with a generous amount of bechamel and the remaining cheese. On your final two layers, don’t trim the pasta; let the sheets overhang to add a delightful crunch to an otherwise softly textured dish. If you feel a bit light on with the cheese – it’s OK, we’ve all been overzealous with the layers –just add a smattering of grated parmesan to finish.
Step 7
Bake until golden, about 30-40 minutes. Set aside to rest and set for 10 minutes, then cut into rectangles to serve.