Saag Paneer Lasagna with Besan Béchamel

A comforting Indian-style lasagna featuring layers of spinach and paneer in a flavorful tomato sauce, topped with a creamy, buttery besan (gram flour) béchamel.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Calories

780 kcal

Difficulty

Medium

Equipment

5 items

Cost

£2.66/serving

Season:

☀️ Summer

Meal Type:

Lunch•Dinner

Cuisine:

Indian

Main Ingredient:

Pork

Mood:

Comfort Food

Ingredients

Servings

500gFresh Spinach(washed and chopped)

£1.75

250gPaneer(crumbled or cubed)

£3.00

1largeOnion(finely chopped)

£0.50

4clovesGarlic(minced)

£0.30

1inchGinger(grated)

£0.25

2tablespoonsTomato Paste

£0.20

700gCrushed Tomatoes(canned)

£0.80

1teaspoonGaram Masala

£0.15

0.5teaspoonTurmeric Powder

£0.05

0.5teaspoonRed Chili Powder(or to taste)

£0.05

1teaspoonCumin Powder

£0.10

1tablespoonKasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)(crushed)

£0.25

2tablespoonsVegetable Oil

£0.10

4tablespoonsBesan (Gram Flour)

£0.20

4tablespoonsButter(unsalted)

£0.50

2cupsMilk

£0.60

to tasteSalt

1teaspoonSugar(Optional)

£0.05

9sheetsLasagna Sheets(oven-ready, no-boil)

£1.50

2tablespoonsFresh Cilantro(chopped, for garnish)

£0.30

Total Cost

£10.65

£2.66 per serving

Instructions

1.
**Prepare the Tomato Sauce:** Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until golden brown. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
2.
Add crushed tomatoes, garam masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi, salt, and sugar (optional). Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
3.
**Prepare the Besan Béchamel:** In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add besan (gram flour) and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until it turns light brown and fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
4.
Gradually whisk in milk, a little at a time, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to a smooth, creamy consistency. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.
5.
**Assemble the Lasagna:** Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
6.
Arrange a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce. Top with half of the spinach, then half of the crumbled paneer, and a generous layer of tomato sauce.
7.
Repeat with another layer of lasagna sheets, spinach, paneer, and tomato sauce.
8.
Top with the remaining lasagna sheets and spread the besan béchamel evenly over the top.
9.
**Bake:** Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
10.
Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Buy ingredients on Loop

My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (550g)

780 kcal / 3263 kJ

Carbs

55g

21% of RDA

Fat

45g

64% of RDA

Protein

45g

90% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

15 g

50% of RDA

Sugar

20 g

22% of RDA

Sodium

700 mg

30% of RDA

Saturated Fat

25 g

125% of RDA

Chef's Tips

Adjust the amount of red chili powder according to your spice preference.

You can use frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, in place of fresh spinach. Reduce the amount to 300g if using frozen.

For a richer flavor, add a dollop of cream or butter to the tomato sauce.

To prevent the lasagna from sticking to the baking dish, grease it lightly before assembling.

The lasagna can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.

Cooking Equipment

Oven

Stove

Baking Dish (9x13 inch)

Large Skillet

Medium Saucepan

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

Share this recipe

Loading recipe...

Chef's Tips

Adjust the amount of red chili powder according to your spice preference.

You can use frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, in place of fresh spinach. Reduce the amount to 300g if using frozen.

For a richer flavor, add a dollop of cream or butter to the tomato sauce.

To prevent the lasagna from sticking to the baking dish, grease it lightly before assembling.

The lasagna can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.

Saag Paneer Lasagna with Besan Béchamel

Ingredients

Instructions