Lasagne is one of those meals that takes a little more effort than my usual quick family dinners, but sometimes the end result makes that extra effort completely worth it!
This salmon, spinach and aubergine lasagne is a slightly different take on a traditional lasagne. Instead of minced meat, it has a creamy, flavourful filling made with salmon, aubergine, spinach and tomato, layered with lasagne sheets and homemade cheesy white sauce.
I originally made this during the summer holidays when I was looking for something a little different to serve for dinner. It turned out absolutely delicious, mashallah, and we enjoyed it with some garlic bread on the side.
It’s also a lovely way to include fish and vegetables in a comforting family meal.
Salmon, Spinach & Aubergine Lasagne
Ingredients
For the salmon and vegetable filling:
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 aubergines, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 240g baby spinach
- 680g passata
- 3 x 92g tins wild pink salmon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic & ginger paste
For the white sauce:
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 500ml milk
- ½ cup grated cheddar
To assemble:
- Lasagne sheets
- ½ cup grated cheddar
- 125g mozzarella, sliced
- Coarse black pepper
How to Make Salmon, Spinach & Aubergine Lasagne
1. Prepare the vegetables
Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan and add the diced onion. Cook until the onion begins to soften and lightly brown.
Add the sliced aubergines and cook over a low to medium heat. Give them time to soften, lightly brown and release some of their moisture.
Add the baby spinach and allow it to wilt into the vegetables.
2. Make the salmon filling
Add the salt, mixed herbs, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic & ginger paste.
Drain the tinned salmon if necessary and add it to the pan, followed by the passata.
Stir everything together until you have a lovely rich salmon, tomato and vegetable sauce.
3. Make the cheesy white sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low-medium heat.
Add the plain flour and stir together to create a smooth paste.
Gradually pour in the milk while stirring. Bring the mixture towards the boil, continuing to stir regularly until the sauce thickens.
Add ½ cup of grated cheddar and stir until melted.
4. Assemble the lasagne
Add a layer of the salmon, spinach and aubergine mixture to your baking dish.
Spoon over some of the white sauce and add a layer of lasagne sheets.
Continue layering the salmon filling, white sauce and pasta until your dish is full.
I like to save plenty of the white sauce for the very top — that’s what gives you that lovely creamy, cheesy finish.
5. Add the cheese
Top the lasagne with ½ cup of grated cheddar and the sliced mozzarella.
Finish with a sprinkle of coarse black pepper.
6. Bake
Bake at 200°C / 180°C fan for around 25 minutes, or until cooked through and the cheesy topping is bubbling and golden brown.
What to Serve With It
We kept things really simple and served ours with garlic bread. You could also serve it with a fresh salad or some steamed vegetables.
Because you’ve already got salmon, spinach and aubergine in the lasagne, though, it’s quite a substantial family meal by itself.
A Different Family Lasagne
If your family enjoys lasagne but you’re getting a little bored of making the same traditional meat version, this is definitely one to try.
The aubergine works really nicely with the tomato sauce, the spinach adds another vegetable without overpowering the dish, and the salmon makes it feel completely different from an ordinary lasagne.
And of course, that combination of homemade white sauce, cheddar and melted mozzarella on top makes everything better!
It does require a few different steps, but once you bring all those layers together and pull that bubbling cheesy lasagne from the oven, it’s worth it.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did❤️
