Hearty End of Summer Lasagna: Sausage, Zucchini, and Fresh Herbs

As the vibrant days of summer gradually give way to the crisp embrace of autumn, there’s a unique comfort in savoring the last bounties of the season. This “End of Summer Lasagna” perfectly encapsulates that feeling, blending the richness of savory Italian sausage with the fresh, bright flavors of garden-fresh zucchini and sweet corn. It’s a dish that offers a warm, inviting transition from long, sunny days to cozy evenings, proving that homemade lasagna doesn’t have to be an all-day affair.

Many home cooks shy away from making lasagna, intimidated by its reputation for lengthy preparation. However, with a little planning and smart multitasking, you can have this magnificent dish ready for the oven in under an hour. When I first developed this recipe, I managed to get it prepped and baking in just 51 minutes – and that included improvising, jotting down notes, gathering fresh herbs from the garden, and even a minor skirmish with an unyielding tomato hornworm (which, I admit, won that round!). So, take a deep breath, embrace the process, and discover the simple joy of creating a truly memorable homemade lasagna.

Why You’ll Love This Seasonal Lasagna

This isn’t just any lasagna; it’s a celebration of late summer’s harvest intertwined with classic Italian comfort. The combination of succulent Italian sausage, tender roasted zucchini, and the unexpected pop of sweet corn kernels creates a harmonious flavor profile that is both familiar and exciting. The creamy béchamel sauce, a delightful alternative to traditional tomato-based sauces, provides a luxurious texture, while a trio of cheeses—part-skim mozzarella, fontina, and freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano—melds together for gooey, savory layers. It’s hearty enough for a family dinner, impressive enough for guests, and makes for fantastic leftovers. Plus, by highlighting peak-season vegetables, you’re getting the best flavor nature has to offer.

Ingredients Spotlight: Building Layers of Flavor

Every great lasagna starts with quality ingredients, and this recipe is no exception. Let’s delve into what makes each component crucial to the overall success:

Italian Sausage: We recommend using a good quality Italian sausage, either mild or hot depending on your preference. Removing the casings allows the meat to crumble beautifully and brown evenly, infusing the béchamel with its rich, aromatic flavor. It forms the backbone of the savory profile.
Fresh Summer Vegetables:
- Zucchini: Diced and lightly roasted, zucchini adds a wonderful tender texture and a subtle earthiness. Roasting them briefly before layering helps to remove excess moisture, preventing a watery lasagna and concentrating their delicate flavor.
- Corn Kernels: Whether fresh off the cob or thawed from frozen, corn brings a burst of sweet, summery brightness that contrasts beautifully with the savory sausage and creamy cheese layers.
- Mushrooms: Sliced and browned to perfection, mushrooms add a depth of umami and a satisfying meaty texture. Browning them properly is key to unlocking their full flavor potential, ensuring they’re rich and savory rather than rubbery.
The Creamy Bechamel Sauce: Instead of a tomato sauce, this lasagna features a classic French béchamel. Made with butter, flour, and milk, it creates a silky, smooth, and incredibly rich base that binds all the flavors together, offering a unique twist on traditional lasagna.
Ricotta and Fresh Herbs: A generous container of ricotta forms a creamy, tangy layer. Blending it with fresh oregano and parsley elevates the herbal notes, while a touch of béchamel ensures it’s extra smooth and easily spreadable.
The Cheese Trio:
- Part-Skim Mozzarella: For that classic stringy, melty texture.
- Shredded Fontina: Adds a nutty, slightly fruity, and incredibly creamy dimension.
- Freshly Grated Parmigiana-Reggiano: Provides a sharp, salty finish and a delicious golden crust.
Lasagna Noodles: While many variations exist, traditional lasagna noodles, boiled until al dente, provide the perfect foundation for soaking up all the delicious sauces and flavors.

Tips for Mastering Your Lasagna

Creating a delicious lasagna, even one that comes together quickly, benefits from a few expert tips:

Mise en Place is Your Friend: “Mise en place” is a French culinary term for having all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. This means dicing the zucchini, slicing the mushrooms, removing sausage casings, chopping herbs, and grating cheeses. This seemingly small step will drastically cut down your active cooking time and make the assembly process incredibly smooth.
Brown Those Mushrooms Properly: Don’t overcrowd your pan when browning mushrooms. Cook them in batches if necessary, over high heat, allowing them to release their moisture and develop a beautiful golden-brown color. This step is crucial for intense flavor.
Don’t Skip Roasting the Zucchini: Lightly roasting the zucchini isn’t just for flavor; it’s a critical step for moisture control. Zucchini can release a lot of water when cooked, which can make your lasagna soggy. A quick roast helps to prevent this.
Perfecting the Bechamel: When making your béchamel, ensure you whisk continuously as you add the milk to the roux (butter and flour mixture) to prevent lumps. Cook it until it’s just slightly thickened; it will continue to thicken as it cools and bakes.
Al Dente Noodles: Cook your lasagna noodles until they are just al dente, meaning they still have a slight bite. They will continue to cook and soften in the oven, preventing a mushy final texture. Rinsing them briefly with cold water after draining helps stop the cooking process and prevents them from sticking together.
The Ricotta Boost: Adding a touch of béchamel to your ricotta mixture makes it wonderfully creamy and much easier to spread evenly across the layers, ensuring a consistent texture throughout the lasagna.
Layering Strategy: Follow the layering instructions carefully to ensure an even distribution of ingredients and flavors. Don’t be afraid to press down gently on the layers, especially towards the end, to help everything fit snugly in the pan.
The Importance of Resting: After baking, let your lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving. This allows the layers to set, preventing a runny, falling-apart dish and ensuring neat, beautiful slices.

End of Summer Lasagna

5 from 1 vote

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Authur: Erica

Ingredients

8 oz sliced mushrooms
4 Tbs unsalted butter divided
1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
2 medium zucchini diced
½ Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 ½ tsp kosher salt divided
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cup milk
1 15 oz container ricotta
1 Tbs fresh oregano leaves chopped
2 Tbs fresh parsley chopped
⅔ cup corn kernels thawed if frozen
fresh cracked pepper
cooking spray
4 cup part-skim mozzarella shredded
2 cup shredded fontina cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Instructions

Put a large pot of water to boil. Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, melt 2 T butter. Add the mushrooms and brown. For more in-depth instruction see my How to Brown Mushrooms article. Move browned mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage breaking the meat up into small bits as it cooks. Once browned and no longer pink, move the sausage to a bowl lined with 2 layers of paper towels to drain the fat. Set aside.
Layer the diced zucchini on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 t salt and drizzle 1 T olive oil. Toss to coat the zucchini. Roast in the oven at 425F ~8-10 minutes until just softened and a touch browned, but not completely roasted. Remove from the oven and set aside.
To make the bechamel, heat a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2T butter and the flour. Cook, stirring regularly, 4-5 minutes to make a roux. Whisking continually, add the milk. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes until very slightly thickened. Add 1 t salt and a pinch pepper and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 t salt, the herbs, and 1/4 c of the prepared bechamel (I always add a little bechamel to the ricotta in any lasagna – makes it creamier and easier to spread).
Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions in heavily salted water. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water to prevent noodles from sticking to each other.
OK, we’re ready to put it together…
In a lasagna pan or other deep baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, spread 1/4 c bechamel. To the remaining bechamel in the saucepan add the sausage and stir.
In the lasagna dish over the bechamel, layer 3 lasagna noodles, trimming if necessary to fit. Layer half each of the mushrooms, corn, and zucchini. Layer 1/2 c fontina, 1/4 c parmesan, and 1 c mozzarella. Layer 3 more noodles. For the second layer, spread half the sausage-bechamel mixture and half the ricotta-herb mixture.
Layer another 3 noodles. Layer the remaining mushrooms, corn, and zucchini. Layer 1/2 c fontina, 1/4 c parmesan, and 1 c mozzarella. Layer 3 noodles. Layer the rest of the sausage-bechamel and rest of the ricotta-herb mixture. Layer the last 3 noodles (I had to press everything down pretty well by this point to get it to fit). Top with 1/2 c fontina, 1/4 c parmesan, and 2 cups mozzarella.
Bake at 350F for an hour. The cheese on top will brown before the lasagna is cooked all the way through, so once it browns (~30 minutes into the cooking time), top with foil.
Remove from the oven and let lasagna set 15 minutes before cutting to serve. Serves a crowd (~8-12) – after all, it’s lasagna!

Serving Suggestions and Storage

This hearty End of Summer Lasagna is a meal in itself, but it pairs beautifully with a simple side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness. A basket of crusty bread for soaking up any extra béchamel is also a welcome addition. Given its generous serving size (8-12 people), this lasagna is perfect for entertaining or for ensuring delicious leftovers throughout the week.

Storing Leftovers: Any leftover lasagna can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best reheating results, cover individual portions and warm gently in the microwave or oven until heated through.

Freezing Instructions: Lasagna freezes exceptionally well. You can freeze the entire baked lasagna (after it has cooled completely) or individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven (covered with foil initially, then uncovered to crisp the top) until bubbly and hot.

A Farewell to Summer, A Welcome to Comfort

As summer draws to a close, this lasagna stands as a delicious tribute to its bounty. It’s a dish that brings people together, offering warmth, comfort, and the incredible flavors of the season’s last hurrah. Don’t let the thought of making lasagna deter you; with these simple steps and fresh ingredients, you’ll create a masterpiece that will have everyone asking for seconds. Enjoy the process, savor the aromas, and relish in the joy of a truly homemade meal. Happy cooking!

~✿♥✿~