christmas lasagna recipe

Christmas Lasagna is a whimsical layered dessert recipe! Made with buttery, red velvet shortbread cookie crust, a peppermint cheesecake layer, white chocolate pudding, whipped cream and mini marshmallows on top. I'm sure it will be a hit at your Christmas gathering, like this Christmas Cheesecake! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Christmas Lasagna

unsalted butter-softened

sugar

all-purpose flour

cocoa powder

salt

Red food coloring

cream cheese-softened

½ cup Cool Whip-thawed

peppermint extract

x 3.9 oz. box white chocolate instant pudding

milk

Green food coloring

½ cups cool whip

For Garnish:

mini marshmallows

Red and green sprinkles

M & M candies

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter 9 x 13 inch baking dish, set aside.

In a small bowl stir together flour, salt and cocoa powder.

In large bowl beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add red food coloring and mix well ( I used 1 tablespoon food coloring to get intense red color). Turn you mixer on low speed and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until combine.

Press the mixture into bottom of baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

To make cream cheese layer beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add 1 ½ cup Cool Whip and peppermint extract and mix to combine. Spread over cooled shortbread layer. Place in the freezer to firm while preparing pudding.

To make the green pudding layer whisk together 2 x 3.9 oz. boxes white chocolate instant pudding mix with 3 cups milk. Add green food coloring (add a few drops at a time, to desired color) and whisk until smooth. Spread over cream cheese layer. Set in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Spread 1 ½ cup Cool whip over pudding layer and top with mini marshmallows and sprinkles. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours until set.

Was excited to give this a try and found myself very confused when the pudding boxes were only 1oz. Thinking I needed 7.8 oz total, I put that many boxes in with the 3c of milk. No go. I tried to then just put the amount of milk in that I needed total and now I have a LOT of pudding and not sure if it’ll even turn out

I cook a lot also and the recipe wasn’t good.  The shortbread recipe was crumbly.   I know it wasn’t because I pushed too hard on the crust!  The next two layers were ok.  I also think that the amounts weren’t correct.  The middle layer was about the same height of the crust and the last layer was three times the height of the other two combined !
  I was very disappointed because my husband had surgery this week and I wanted something easy and nice enough for our Christmas dessert .  Thank goodness people  brought other desserts because people put it on their plate and ended up throwing most of it away.   Normally I test my recipes but because of my husbands surgery I didn’t have time to try it before.  I will never do this again.
F

I spent a VERY long time putting this recipe together and make it look beautiful for a family Christmas get together, only to have everyone talk about how weird and disgusting this dessert is. It looks cute, festive and potentially delicious but the flavor didn’t match the appearance. IF I make this recipe again I will leave out the peppermint extract.

Thanks for sharing this amazing information it will be really helpful for me.
I like all your post and I bookmark your website to see your latest post.

Stopping by from SImple Suppers. What a cute, festive lasagna. Great idea!

Do not sleep on this recipe. It the best lasagna I’ve ever had! You haven’t lived until you’ve had basil pesto ricotta!

That is quite a beautiful way to serve lasagna for the holidays!

Say hello to the most festive lasagna you'll ever meet: Christmas Eve Lasagna! A twist on classic lasagna bolognese, this lasagna boasts festive red &amp; green layers of rich &amp; hearty homemade bolognese sauce &amp; basil pesto ricotta. It's equal parts delicious &amp; stunning - perfect for a special occasion meal like Christmas Eve dinner. 
It's become a beloved tradition in my family to serve this Christmas Eve Lasagna at some point during the holiday season &amp; I have a feeling once you try it you're going to love it just as much as we do. Happy cooking! ♡

Christmas Eve Lasagna

nonstick cooking spray

13.2-ounce box DeLallo No-Boil Lasagna

Best-Ever Bolognese (below)

basil pesto ricotta (below)

mozzarella cheese (about 6 cups)

Italian cheese blend,

carrots,

celery,

yellow onion, roughly chopped

pancetta, roughly chopped (see Recipe Notes)

garlic

tablespoons olive oil

pound ground beef

pound ground pork

tomato paste

cup medium-bodied red wine,

rosemary

thyme

2 bay leaves

1 parmesan rind

tomatoes

cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

½ cup heavy cream

salt black pepper, to season

ricotta cheese, whole milk

6.3-ounce jar DeLallo Simply Basil Pesto

eggs

parmesan

Soffritto

Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery &amp; onion to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. The mixture should not be puréed; you should still be able to see small pieces of carrot, celery &amp; onion. Transfer to a medium bowl &amp; set aside.

Pestata: 

Add the pancetta &amp; garlic to the bowl of the same food processor used to make the soffritto (no need to wash it!). Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. Set aside. 

Cook the pestata: 

Add the olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot (at least 4-quart capacity) over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the pestata mixture from Step 1 and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta renders &amp; the garlic is fragrant, 4-5 minutes.

Brown the soffritto

Add the soffritto mixture from Step 1 to the pot with the pestata. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned &amp; fragrant, 15-20 minutes. If the veggies begin to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Once browned, push the pestata &amp; soffritto mixture to the outer edges of the pot.

Brown the meat: 

Generously season the beef and pork with 1 teaspoon kosher salt each. Add the meat to the center of the pot with the soffritto &amp; pestata mixture. Do not touch the meat for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to brown deeply. Turn the meat over and brown the second side for 2-3 minutes. Once browned on both sides, use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart into fine crumbles. Stir to combine with the soffritto mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned completely, 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to coat the meat &amp; soffritto mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes to brown.

Deglaze: 

Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the meat mixture.

Aromatics: 

Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves &amp; parmesan rind, if using. Add the crushed tomatoes &amp; broth or water, stirring to combine.

Simmer: 

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes. If the bolognese begins to reduce too much (losing too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more broth/water, reduce the heat further, &amp;/or cover the pot.

Finish the bolognese

Stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Mix the basil pesto ricotta

Meanwhile, as the bolognese sauce simmers, prepare the basil pesto ricotta. Add all listed ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper, or to taste. Stir until combined. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Assemble the lasagna

Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray &amp; set aside. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (see Recipe Notes, below). Ladle about 1 cup of the bolognese sauce into the baking dish, spreading it out to evenly coat the bottom. This prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the dish as the lasagna bakes. Build your lasagna layer by layer:

Layer 2

Arrange a second layer of lasagna. Top with 1/2 of the prepared basil pesto ricotta, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle some the mozzarella &amp; Italian cheeses over top, using about 1/4 of the cheese.

Layer 3 &amp; 4

Repeat Layers 1 &amp; 2, creating 4 alternating layers of bolognese &amp; ricotta. Finish with one last generous sprinkling of cheese, using any remaining mozzarella &amp; Italian cheese.

Rest

Top with the prepared foil. Transfer to the refrigerator to rest for at least 12 hours before baking.

Bake the lasagna

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring an oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Remove the lasagna from the refrigerator, &amp; set the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven &amp; bake the lasagna for 60 minutes, carefully removing the foil from the baking dish in the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the top. If desired, turn the broiler on in the last 5 minutes to give the cheesy top an especially golden brown &amp; crispy finish.

Rest, slice, &amp; serve

Carefully remove the lasagna from the oven. Set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into 12-15 squares &amp; serving. Enjoy!

Decided to make this for our Italian themed Christmas Eve dinner....wow....it was perfect and delicious! I used regular noodles not no boil and it turned out perfectly after sitting in the fridge assembled over night. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you!

This recipe is expensive to make and a lot of work, but WORTH IT FOR THE BEST LASAGNA YOU’VE EVER HAD.  I use GF noodles so that it’s not a gluten bomb and it still turns out delicious. (Side note- i first  made this around Christmas, and am making it again now in April because it’s that good!)

I was so proud to serve this lasagna to my family at Christmas, and it was a hit! My husband and I kept stealing samples of the bolognese as it simmered all day, and have talked about it for months since then. Can't wait to make it again this holiday season!

I’m not even a big lasagna person, but I loved this so much. I can’t wait until it is safe to host again, this is at the top of my list of recipes to serve to a group you want to impress.

Well I completely forgot to update, until I see my comment because I'm totally making this again this year, and I'm already drooling about it!! Such a delicious lasagna!! And I do remember the 10x15 dish worked fine; but I'm looking to buy a deep dish 9x13 haha.

Made this for Christmas Day since it’s just me, my husband and our son this year.  My husband just learned he’s 20% Italian (I’m jealous!) so I thought this was called for!  It’s well worth the effort and I enjoyed making it.  Thank you for sharing.

I made this lasagna for my family for Christmas and it was a big hit! It was super nice to be able to make the bolognese and pesto ricotta earlier in the week and then assemble the day before so that on Christmas Day I didn’t have to spend it in the kitchen! The fillings were really flavorful and creamy and delicious! Definitely will be making this my go-to lasagna recipe!

I was looking for some inspiration for Christmas Eve dinner (my first time cooking it for the family) and this recipe was both easy to execute and still impressive! It was delicious and honestly may be a new tradition in my family.

Amazing lasagna! The best we’ve ever had actually... the only way to improve would be if I made the pasta from scratch.🎯 It’s an easy to follow recipe and worth every step. Thanks for the wonderful new recipe💃🏻

Can this lasagna be frozen before is cooked? I'm trying to think of different dishes I can actually freeze and then simply bake. After leaving this overnight, can I just freeze it?

This recipe was delicious. I made it without the meat and it was great. Coming from an Italian family it is important to make a good lasagna. My mother in law made a great lasagna and even my picky husband loved it!

Have you tried to freeze it? I am planning on making an extra for an easy dinner but don’t want it to be ruined.

I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely amazing. Best lasagna I’ve ever made.

Didn't see the note about letting it sit in the fridge over night. Ooops! but I'm making it for dinner tonight so wish me luck!
The sauce, so far, tastes amazing!!

I love that, as described, I could stretch the cooking of this recipe across 3 days, and finishing it off on Christmas Day was completely stress free! Even if this were more work to cook (which really, it's not), it would totally make up for it with the ridiculously rich and satisfying taste. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe that our family will enjoy for years to come!

i think im going  blind... i dont see anywhere how much heavy cream and parm to add to the meat sauce?

WOW this turned out absolutely delicious and though it was a labor of love, your recipe was perfectly written for a first-time-from-scratch- lasagna cook! The sauce is the star of the show - I was nervous about a homemade bolognese sauce since I hadn’t made one before, but omg it turned out SO good. I used gluten free lasagna noodles and ended up having to use ground breakfast sausage and add Italian seasonings - otherwise followed the recipe to a T and got rave reviews from my family. I think this lasagna is going to become an annual Christmas Eve tradition, and I can’t wait to keep making it for years to come. Thanks again!!!

This was quite a bit of prep work the day before, but when it came out of the oven and I started eating, I seriously thought I might die from total pleasure!!!
OMG! It was sooooo good! Absolutely the best lasagna I have ever had!
. . .  and the best part is that there are a lot of left-overs to freeze for another day!
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!

Hi, Jess! We made this for our Christmas dinner and it was the best lasagna we have made! Between the homemade bolognese sauce and the pesto mixture, it was so delicious! Our family was all raving, even the next day about the leftovers. Great prep ahead meal for a holiday and the recipe had all the steps well documented! 
Also, we made your French Onion Havarti twice baked potatoes for Christmas Eve (from your stories) and they were delicious!! Definitely going into the rotation :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU6f2MeBY1I

At my house, the one dish we always have over the Christmas holiday is lasagna. At some point, I decided to kick our classic lasagna up a few notches, and this Christmas Lasagna recipe is the result.

A twist on classic lasagna bolognese, this Christmas lasagna boasts festive red and green layers of rich + hearty homemade bolognese sauce and basil pesto ricotta. It's equally stunning and delicious, perfect for feeding a holiday crowd!

It's one of my family's most beloved holiday traditions, and I have a feeling that once you try it you’re going to love it just as much as we do. ♡ Merry Christmas!

🎥 Related Video: Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY_IF1hPxfI

🖨️Printable Christmas Eve Lasagna Recipe: 
https://playswellwithbutter.com/christmas-eve-lasagna/
🖨️Printable Best-Ever Bolognese Recipe: https://playswellwithbutter.com/bolognese-sauce-recipe/

▶️Follow along with PWWB for more unfussy recipes with a big punch of flavor! 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playswellwithbutter/
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▶️Products used in this video:
DeLallo Simply Pesto: https://rstyle.me/+rvkz1EQXv5hEmqOJpKlLXg
DeLallo No-Boil Lasagna: https://rstyle.me/+5rcOzT30_CpDP004hukclg
9x13 Lasagna Pan: https://rstyle.me/+WYI9x7jG39FV08nsfrB_UA
Staub 5.5-qt Cocotte: https://rstyle.me/+3eBnSd5FgbdGzJ8QbYuDyg
Spatula: https://rstyle.me/+-XR4ENmpvSIZP3nULg9ttg
7-Inch Chef Knife (White): https://rstyle.me/+l6Ou_KEc1QQySURClSBvfA
7-Inch Chef Knife (Black): https://rstyle.me/+3qABP0sa3W1dpy_i4ludlw
Cutting Board: https://rstyle.me/+6kQ13YsVkhL8CaYTMmslGA
Mini Cutting Board: https://rstyle.me/+wTG21JBPrwbEg1qk8OuptQ

▶️Timestamps:
00:00: Intro
01:35: Best-ever bolognese sauce
02:07: Basil pesto ricotta
02:49: Christmas lasagna assembly
06:30: Cover & rest overnight
07:11: Baking directions
07:33: Serving suggestions

#christmaslasagna #lasagnarecipe #christmasrecipes #lasagna #lasagnabolognese

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