If there is one thing I can do in the morning to save time later in the day, it’s prepping vegetables for dinner while my coffee brews.

It takes maybe 5 minutes. While the coffee maker is doing its work, out come the veggies and I slice them exactly as they’ll go into the evening’s dish. I chop and slice, and everything goes into glass containers, and into the fridge they go.

That’s it.

But when 6pm rolls around and I get asked the usual “how long will dinner be?” I’m not frantically prepping. Time is saved and dinner is on the table faster.

This creamy courgette and basil lasagne is the perfect example – a few minutes of morning prep transforms this from lengthy dinner preparation to something beautifully manageable. With layers of garlicky vegetables, fresh basil and rich béchamel, it’s comfort food that actually feels fresh and summery.

Serves 6-8 | Prep: 20 minutes (5 minutes if prepped in morning) | Cook: 35 minutes.

Ingredients

For the garlic béchamel:

• 50g butter
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk
• 100g Parmesan, grated
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and white pepper

For the lasagne:

• 3 large courgettes, sliced lengthways into ribbons
• 400g baby spinach
• 9-12 lasagne sheets
• Large bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
• 150g mozzarella, grated (plus extra for topping)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp white wine
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Prep the courgettes: Salt the courgette ribbons and leave for 10 minutes, then pat dry. Heat olive oil, add minced garlic until fragrant, then add courgettes. Cook until just tender, splash in white wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds to 1 minute until reduced by half. Stir in lemon zest. Set aside.
2. Sauté the spinach: In the same pan, add spinach and cook until wilted. Season and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Make the garlic béchamel: Melt butter, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour, cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Simmer until thick, then stir in Parmesan and nutmeg. Season generously.
4. Assemble: Layer garlic béchamel, pasta, garlicky courgettes, spinach, torn basil, mozzarella. Repeat. Top with remaining béchamel and finish with torn mozzarella.
5. Bake: 180°C for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbling.