Radicchio is the great bitter leaf of the Veneto, where the long, elegant heads of Treviso and the round ones of Chioggia are as much a part of winter as the first fog. Italians love it for exactly the quality others find difficult: a clean, sharp bitterness that cuts through richness. Which is why it works so well in a lasagna, set against a silky, creamy béchamel and the unmistakable bite of Gorgonzola Piccante.
This is a white lasagna, with no tomato and no ragù. The radicchio is slowly softened with shallot and a splash of red wine until it turns deep, jammy and mellow, the bitterness rounded off but never lost. Half the Gorgonzola goes into the béchamel, which turns the sauce into something rich, tangy and faintly blue, and the rest is dotted between the layers to melt into pockets of salty cream. Bake it until bubbling and golden, let it rest, and you have a vegetarian lasagna that never feels like a compromise.
It’s an autumn and winter dish, ideal for a Sunday lunch or a dinner with friends, and it can be assembled a day ahead.
Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 50 minutes | Serves 6
Ingredients
For the radicchio
- 2 large heads of radicchio (about 400g), Treviso or Chioggia, cored and finely sliced
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Bono Salvatore
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 100ml red wine (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the béchamel
- 60g unsalted butter
- 60g plain flour
- 800ml whole milk, warmed
- A good grating of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
To assemble
- 250g Garofalo Lasagna Sheets
- 200g Gorgonzola Piccante, crumbled
- 60g Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, 24 months matured or Grana Padano, 24 months matured, finely grated
- 50g walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
- Butter, for greasing
Method
1. Cook the radicchio. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large, wide pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the radicchio and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until it wilts and darkens. Pour in the red wine, if using, and let it bubble away until almost fully reduced. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, without letting it brown. Add the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, then simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Take the pan off the heat and stir in half the Gorgonzola until it melts into the sauce. Taste before adding any more salt, as the cheeses are already salty.
3. Heat the oven. Preheat to 190°C (170°C fan) and butter a baking dish of about 20 x 30cm.
4. Assemble. Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the base of the dish, then add a layer of lasagne sheets. Cover with a third of the radicchio, a third of the remaining béchamel, a scattering of the remaining Gorgonzola and a little grated Parmigiano. Repeat to make three layers, finishing with a final layer of pasta, the last of the béchamel, a generous layer of Parmigiano and the walnuts, if using. Make sure the top layer of pasta is fully covered with sauce so it doesn’t dry out.
5. Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until bubbling and deeply golden on top.
6. Rest and serve. Leave the lasagna to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting, so it holds its shape. Serve with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon.
A note from the kitchen: if your radicchio is very bitter, soak the sliced leaves in cold water for 10 minutes before cooking and pat them dry. This softens the edge without losing the character. Check the lasagne packet as well: some sheets need no pre-cooking, others benefit from a quick blanch, so follow the instructions on yours.
What to drink
Rich, creamy and slightly bitter, this lasagna needs a red with freshness. The Barbera d’Alba DOC 2024, Fontanafredda is the natural partner: juicy red cherry fruit and bright acidity cut through the Gorgonzola béchamel and echo the radicchio’s sharpness without overpowering it. If you’d like something with a little more structure and a savoury, earthy edge, the Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2024, Fontanafredda works beautifully with the Gorgonzola and the walnuts.
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