Delia Smith Salmon Lasagne

This Delia Smith salmon lasagne is a comforting, gently indulgent dish with soft layers of pasta, flaky salmon, and a smooth white sauce. The texture is creamy without being heavy, with a fresh savoury flavour that feels elegant yet familiar. It is a medium-difficulty recipe that suits a relaxed weekend cook or a special family supper. From start to finish, it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Ingredients

For the salmon filling

• 500g fresh salmon fillets, skin removed
• 250ml full-fat milk
• 1 small onion, peeled and halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the white sauce

• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk, warmed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 75g mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated

For assembling

• 9 to 12 lasagne sheets
• 25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Butter, for greasing the dish

How to Make Delia Smith Salmon Lasagne

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Lightly butter a medium baking dish and set it aside.
• Poach the salmon: Place the salmon in a wide pan with the milk, onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring gently to a simmer, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the fish is just cooked.
• Flake the fish: Lift the salmon out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove the onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns from the milk and reserve the milk for the sauce. Flake the salmon into large pieces.
• Make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved milk until smooth and thickened.
• Finish the sauce: Stir in the Dijon mustard and Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper, then gently fold in the salmon, parsley, and dill.
• Assemble the lasagne: Spoon a little sauce into the base of the dish, add a layer of lasagne sheets, then more sauce. Repeat until everything is used, finishing with sauce on top.
• Bake: Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden.
• Rest before serving: Leave the lasagne to stand for 10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers set neatly.

Tips

How do I stop the sauce from going lumpy?

Warm the milk before adding it and whisk constantly. Add the milk gradually rather than all at once.

Can I use cooked salmon instead?

Yes, leftover cooked salmon works well. Simply flake it and add it directly to the finished sauce.

Why is my lasagne watery?

This usually happens if the sauce is too thin. Make sure it coats the back of a spoon before assembling.

Serving Suggestions

• Steamed green beans or asparagus
• A crisp green salad with lemon dressing
• Garlic bread or warm rolls

Storage

Room temperature

Let the lasagne cool completely, then keep it covered for up to 4 hours.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Freezing

Freeze well wrapped for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven.

Nutrition

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 34g
• Fat: 26g
• Saturated fat: 14g
• Sodium: 620mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Delia Smith Salmon Lasagne

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Main CourseCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Creamy salmon lasagne with flaky fish, fresh herbs, and a smooth white sauce. A comforting oven-baked dish perfect for family meals.

Ingredients

• 500g salmon fillets

• 250ml full-fat milk

• 1 small onion

• 1 bay leaf

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 600ml milk

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 75g Cheddar cheese

• Lasagne sheets

• Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Preheat the oven and grease a baking dish.
• Poach the salmon gently in milk with onion and bay leaf.
• Make the white sauce and stir in cheese and mustard.
• Fold salmon and herbs into the sauce.
• Layer sauce and lasagne sheets in the dish.
• Bake until golden and bubbling.

Notes

• Let the lasagne rest before cutting.
• Use fresh herbs for best flavour.