Summer has its own flavor. It sneaks into everything — our moods, our meals, our cravings. Suddenly, we want things that taste green, fresh, sunny. The kind of food that feels like walking barefoot, windows wide open, long lunches that start with a salad and end with a nap. And sometimes, in that hazy summer state of mind, strange ideas are born. Like a lasagna without tomato sauce. Without meat. With pesto. And maybe even… dill?
It started on a breezy day on Gotland. I was standing in someone’s herb garden (don’t ask how I got there), face buried in a bunch of dill, when it hit me: what if pesto didn’t have to be strictly basil? What if it could wear a Swedish summer dress instead of an Italian apron? Because honestly — pesto is just an herb, a nut, a cheese, and an oil. There are no rules carved in stone. Except in Liguria. But I was on Gotland.
So I started mixing. Basil and spinach for that deep green comfort, parsley to mellow it out, and a little dill — just enough to make your tastebuds do a double take without getting kicked out of Italy. Add some Italian ingredients like Parmigiano, toasted sunflower seeds, lemon zest, and a really good olive oil… and suddenly, the pesto tasted like it had grown up in Stockholm but spent its summers in Cinque Terre. That’s the kind of recipe that doesn’t come from a textbook, but from curiosity, memory, and a bit of rebellion.
And then came the next step: what happens if we build a lasagna with this? No tomato sauce, no ragù — just layers of roasted summer vegetables like zucchini, yellow peppers, maybe some grilled eggplant. A creamy oat milk béchamel. Generous spoonfuls of our Swedish-summer pesto. The result was something both rich and light. It tasted like homemade food, but with a twist. Familiar, yet brand new. Each bite felt like a warm-weather adventure — comforting, unexpected, and made to be shared.
That’s when we knew: it needed to go on the menu.
We called it Lasagna al Pesto, and it instantly became part of the Lasagnariet family. It’s 100% vegetarian food, and made with as many locally sourced vegetables as the season allows. The cheese comes from a small Swedish dairy where everything is still made by hand — no industrial shortcuts. And in the vegan food version, we swap in a plant-based béchamel and an oat-based cheese that actually tastes like something you’d want to eat. No compromises. Just great taste.
We’re even experimenting with a gluten-free version — because good food should be for everyone. Whether you’re a hardcore Italian, a curious Swede, or someone who just really loves layered comfort food. Our gluten-free pasta is made from rice and corn flour, with just enough bite to stand up to the sauces and vegetables. You won’t miss the wheat — promise.
This is our kind of Italian food. Not rigid, not stuck in tradition, but respectful of it. We believe in homemade food, in flavor over fuss, and in breaking a few rules if it makes the dish better. We love a good Swedish ingredient, we love Italian products, and we especially love when they sit down and talk to each other. That’s what this lasagna does. It’s a little bit husmanskost, a little bit Ligurian holiday. And somehow, that combination just makes sense.
And sure, takeaway Stockholm often means pizza or sushi or the same-old lunch box. But now it can also mean this: a lasagna you’ve never tasted before. One made for warm days, long evenings, and curious appetites. It’s not just food — it’s a feeling. That lazy summer energy, wrapped in pasta sheets and layered with love.
Because summer food isn’t just about ingredients — it’s about moments. It’s about sitting on a dock with your feet in the water. Eating with your fingers on a picnic blanket. Opening the fridge and smiling before you even close the door. Lasagna al Pesto was made for those moments. It’s dinner, but also a mood. A state of mind that says, “Why not? Let’s try something different.”
I’ve seen the look on people’s faces the first time they taste it — a little surprised, then a big smile. Because it catches you off guard in the best way. It’s still the comfort food you know, but wearing linen instead of wool. It doesn’t shout; it whispers. And sometimes, that’s even more powerful — especially in a city where so much food tries to impress you with how loud it is. This dish leans in and tells you a secret instead.
We’ve also noticed it brings people together. Friends who don’t eat meat and those who do. Pasta lovers and pasta avoiders. Couples sharing it on a bench in the sun. Parents bringing it home for kids who wrinkle their noses at red sauce but love green. There’s something quietly inclusive about it.
And that’s what summer should be: inclusive. A table where there’s space for everyone, and no one’s plate looks exactly the same. Lasagna al Pesto is our way of celebrating that — of saying yes to seasonality, yes to invention, and yes to homemade food that dares to be itself.
So come by. Grab a slice of Lasagna al Pesto to take to the park, your balcony, or that friend who always hosts. Maybe bring a chilled bottle of white wine, a blanket, and your best stories. Eat slowly. Laugh loudly. Let the flavor of summer linger. This isn’t fast food. This is slow food, made for sunny days.
It’s our ode to summer cooking — the kind you didn’t know you needed, but will absolutely want again. We made this dish for those moments when you’re hungry for more than just food. For those who crave something nostalgic yet new. For anyone who believes homemade food should still surprise you.
Because life is made of layers. And summer is one of the best ones. And if you ask us, it’s even better with lasagna.
