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Some recipes are worth saving, and thank goodness I did!

This recipe for AIP Celeriac Lasagna originally came from Ambra Torelli of Little Bites of Beauty, so I want to give full credit where credit is due. Ambra was one of the earlier voices in the AIP community, and her website, Little Bites of Beauty was a wonderful resource for gluten-free, Paleo and AIP-friendly recipes. Unfortunately, her website has disappeared from the internet, taking so many tasty recipes with it.

I happened to have a copy of this one tucked away in my collection, and when I came across it again, I knew I couldn’t let it disappear forever!

Level of Difficulty

Fair Warning! I’m not going to tell you this is a “quick and easy” lasagna. It isn’t. There’s a fair bit of prep involved, and I remember describing it in my original review as “a LOT of work!”

However, if you love lasagna and want to create something beautiful… it’s definitely worth trying.

Celeriac takes the place of traditional lasagna noodles, while the creamy béchamel-style sauce makes the whole thing surprisingly rich and satisfying. My first attempt wasn’t completely without its challenges – the arrowroot starch started to gel, making it rather difficult to spread. I just persisted and spread it around as best I could.

And you know what? The end result was very tasty! Creamy and almost cheesy, and incredibly filling. The recipe yield says two servings, but it made enough for two meals for my husband and I, which certainly helped make the fiddly preparation feel worthwhile.

Before You Start: How to Choose Celeriac

This is one recipe where choosing the right vegetable really does make a difference. You’re going to be turning that rather knobbly-looking celery root into thin slices that need to behave a little like lasagna sheets, so don’t just grab the biggest one you can find!

How to Pick the Best Celeriac

Look for a celeriac that’s roughly the size of a grapefruit or softball. The really huge ones can be woody, fibrous, or spongy inside, which isn’t what you want here.

It should feel heavy for its size and be rock-hard. If it feels unusually light or has any give when you squeeze it, I’d choose another one.

Take a peek at the bottom where all those little roots are attached. A celeriac with fewer deep crevices and tangled rootlets will be much easier to peel, with less of the good stuff ending up in the compost bin.

The skin should be a fairly even pale brown or tan. Skip anything with soft spots, slimy areas, or obvious mold tucked into the folds.

Celeriac Prep Tip:

Don’t reach for your vegetable peeler. Celeriac skin is tough, knobby and generally not all that cooperative.

Instead, slice off the top and bottom with a sharp chef’s knife so you have a stable surface. Place the root with one of the cut sides on a cutting board and carefully work your knife down the sides, following the curve of the root, to remove the outer skin. (Video Tutorial Here)

Once you’ve peeled away all those gnarly bits and you’re left with the clean white flesh, you’re ready to turn it into your lasagna “sheets.”

This is where a mandoline slicer becomes your best friend (I received one as a wedding gift many years ago and never used it much … until I got sick and started the AIP! It’s seriously been a life-saver for quickly slicing and julienning veggies. There are lots of options that suit just about any budget – click here to check them out). You want those slices nice and thin and, as much as possible, consistent in thickness. Your fingers are not part of the recipe, so be sure to use the guard or glove that comes with your slicer!

Looking for something a little more traditional?

If celeriac lasagna sounds like more of a kitchen project than you’re up for, I’d suggest trying this Zucchini Noodle Lasagna with Nomato Sauce from RealPlans instead. It uses zucchini “noodles” in place of pasta, and a delicious tomato-free sauce. It’s a little more traditional tasting in my opinion and definitely worth adding to your dinner rotation.

Nutrient Density Tip: The original sauce recipe included 1/4 of a pound of liver, so it was a great way to hide some offal/organ meat in your diet. I recommend adding it back in for a little more nutrient density.