Wandering Chopsticks: Vietnamese Food, Recipes, and More: Lasagna with Salmon and Spinach

I've made regular Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Vegetarian Lasagna with Broccoli, Kale, and Zucchini. I got a little more creative with Vegetarian Lasagna with Feta Cheese, Spinach, and Tofu. I've even blogged Pastitsio (Greek "Lasagna").

This Lasagna with Salmon and Spinach is more of a Swedish/Italian fusion. Not that I came up with it on my own. I actually saw it on the menu at IKEA - Covina, and mentally made a note to try making it at home. I used cheap frozen salmon filets, because the good stuff I save for eating fresh.

I prefer to bake the salmon first using my go-to Baked Salmon with Lemon Pepper Seasoning to bring out the flavor. Baking also makes sure the salmon flakes easily before adding it into the lasagna. A nice bechamel sauce and spinach goes far in disguising mediocre salmon so the final result was mighty tasty. Of course, if you want to splurge and use fresh salmon, by all means do so, but just a little suggestion with the frozen salmon so you can save your pennies.

I actually made my version at the beginning of the year, when I was thinking of recipes for Lent. Then on a recent visit to buy tickets for the IKEA (Swedish Crayfish Party) - Burbank, figured I should order it for comparison.

The verdict?

My version is much better.

Of course. ;)

The IKEA version on the menu.

The actual salmon lasagna. Not nearly as cheesy as I'd like and a little dry, but not bad. And no trip to IKEA is complete without an order of meatballs.

Ready to start making my version of salmon spinach lasagna?

Lasagna with Salmon and Spinach

For a 9-by-13-inch pan, you'll need:
6 oz salmon (about 3 filets), baked
1 stick butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 medium onion, diced
1 bunch spinach, roughly chopped
1 lb package lasagna noodles
8 oz mozzarella cheese

Bake the salmon ahead of time, using my Lemon Pepper Salmon recipe if you wish. Let cool and set aside.

Make the Bechamel Sauce by melting 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup flour on medium-low heat until a roux is formed. Add 2 cups milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Let simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes until thickened to your liking. Turn off heat and set aside.

Dice one medium onion. In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, drizzle a bit of oil and saute until the onion softens.

Add the baked salmon, making sure to break up large chunks. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Triple wash and drain a large bunch of spinach leaves. I prefer using baby spinach leaves, which are more tender and don't have tough stems.

To assemble, line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan with some spinach leaves.