Lasagna, a culinary masterpiece with origins in Italy, is a delectable dish that has captured the hearts of food enthusiasts worldwide. This delectable dish features layers of flat pasta, savory fillings, and a rich, creamy sauce, all baked to perfection. The versatility of lasagna allows for endless variations, making it a perfect canvas for culinary creativity.
This article presents a comprehensive guide to crafting the perfect lasagna. It begins by introducing the essential ingredients required for this classic dish: lasagna noodles, sauce, cheese, and fillings. It then delves into the intricacies of selecting the right type of pasta, crafting a flavorful sauce from scratch or using store-bought options, and choosing the perfect blend of cheeses to create a gooey, irresistible filling.
The article also includes a collection of lasagna recipes catering to different preferences and dietary restrictions. From the traditional lasagna Bolognese, brimming with rich meat sauce, to the vegetarian lasagna, packed with an array of colorful vegetables, there's a recipe for every palate. For those seeking a lighter version, the chicken lasagna offers a healthier alternative without compromising on flavor.
For those with dietary restrictions, the gluten-free lasagna and the vegan lasagna provide delicious options that cater to their needs. And for those who love to experiment, the lasagna soup offers a unique and comforting twist on this classic dish.
Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, this article equips you with all the knowledge and recipes you need to create a magnificent lasagna that will tantalize taste buds and leave your family and friends craving for more.
WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA
It takes a little work, but it is worth it.
Provided by John Chandler
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 3h15m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 448.2 calories, Carbohydrate 36.5 g, Cholesterol 81.8 mg, Fat 21.3 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 29.7 g, SaturatedFat 9.9 g, Sodium 1400.4 mg, Sugar 8.6 g
BEST LASAGNA
Want to know how to make lasagna for a casual holiday meal? You can't go wrong with this deliciously rich meat lasagna recipe. My grown sons and daughter-in-law request it for their birthdays, too. -Pam Thompson, Girard, Illinois
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h50m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain., Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally., In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and remaining parsley and salt., Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 519 calories, Fat 27g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 109mg cholesterol, Sodium 1013mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 35g protein.
HOMEMADE LASAGNA
This is my mom's special homemade lasagna recipe with made from scratch tomato sauce and delicious, cheesy filling. I have found none better anywhere. Serve with a leafy green salad and crusty garlic bread, if desired.
Provided by CRAIG
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Place pork and beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
- In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 638 calories, Carbohydrate 54 g, Cholesterol 160.8 mg, Fat 27.2 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 45.7 g, SaturatedFat 13.4 g, Sodium 2053 mg, Sugar 4.3 g
TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
My family first tasted this rich, homemade lasagna recipe at a friend's home on Christmas Eve. We were so impressed that it became our own holiday tradition as well. I also prepare it other times of the year. This classic lasagna recipe is requested often by my sister's Italian in-laws-I consider that the highest compliment! -Lorri Foockle, Granville, Illinois
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h40m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble beef and sausage until no longer pink; drain. Add next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if desired., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add parsley; stir in cottage cheese, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. , Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 1 cup meat sauce in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, 3 noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full)., Cover; bake 50 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 503 calories, Fat 27g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 136mg cholesterol, Sodium 1208mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 36g protein.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
Make this classic lasagna recipe zestier by using hot Italian sausage or a little milder with regular Italian sausage. Don't be scared off by the long cooking time. The wait is well worth it. It's a great dish to make for a crowd and easy to adjust for varying tastes. The leftovers are even better when reheated the next day.
Provided by Barb R
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and olive oil; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
- Cook the ground beef and sausage in a large pot over medium heat; drain. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic salt, oregano, thyme, basil, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
- Ladle enough of the meat sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Form a layer atop the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese mixture and then ladle about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice more, topping with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven 90 minutes. Allow to sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 646.7 calories, Carbohydrate 31.2 g, Cholesterol 173.5 mg, Fat 41.4 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 38.8 g, SaturatedFat 18 g, Sodium 2027.4 mg, Sugar 9.1 g
THE BEST LASAGNA
This classic lasagna is made with an easy meat sauce as the base. Layer the sauce with noodles and cheese, then bake until bubbly! This is great for feeding a big family, and freezes well, too.
Provided by Elise Bauer
Categories Dinner Casserole Comfort Food Freezer-friendly Casserole Lasagna Pasta
Time 1h45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Put pasta water on to boil Put a large pot of salted water (1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water) on the stovetop on high heat. It can take a while for a large pot of water to come to a boil (this will be your pasta water), so prepare the sauce in the next steps while the water is heating.
- Heat the oven to 375°F
- Bake Cover the lasagna pan with aluminum foil, tented slightly so it doesn't touch the noodles or sauce). Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover in the last 10 minutes if you'd like more of a crusty top or edges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 813 kcal, Carbohydrate 30 g, Cholesterol 183 mg, Fiber 3 g, Protein 60 g, SaturatedFat 26 g, Sodium 1849 mg, Sugar 6 g, Fat 51 g, ServingSize Serves 8, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
LASAGNA FOR 4
Make and share this Lasagna for 4 recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Papa_Lage
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h15m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preparation:.
- Remove 6 pieces of pasta from package.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Brown hamburger in large skillet, remove from heat, drain. Stir in Pasta Sauce.
- In a medium bowl beat two eggs with Basil and Oregano. Add Ricotta and Feta cheese.
- Assembly:.
- In a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish, spread ¾ cup meat sauce.
- Place 2 pieces of uncooked pasta over the sauce.
- Spread about 1 cup of Ricotta mixture over the pasta. Spread 1 cup meat sauce over Ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup Mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat step 3 two more times. Top with pasta, spread remaining Ricotta, meat sauce, and Mozzarella cheese (add Parmesan if desired).
- Bake:.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly.
- Let stand 5 minutes, cut and serve.
CLASSIC LASAGNE
Prepare this easy lasagne ahead of time and save in the freezer, uncooked, for when you need it during a busy week. Then just bake for an extra 45 mins.
Provided by Emma Lewis
Categories Dinner, Lunch, Main course
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- To make the meat sauce, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook 750g lean beef mince in two batches for about 10 mins until browned all over.
- Finely chop 4 slices of prosciutto from a 90g pack, then stir through the meat mixture.
- Pour over 800g passata or half our basic tomato sauce recipe and 200ml hot beef stock. Add a little grated nutmeg, then season.
- Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the sauce looks rich.
- Heat oven to 180C/fan/160C/gas 4 and lightly oil an ovenproof dish (about 30 x 20cm).
- Spoon one third of the meat sauce into the dish, then cover with some fresh lasagne sheets from a 300g pack. Drizzle over roughly 130g ready-made or homemade white sauce.
- Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. Cover with the remaining 390g white sauce, making sure you can't see any pasta poking through.
- Scatter 125g torn mozzarella over the top.
- Arrange the rest of the prosciutto on top. Bake for 45 mins until the top is bubbling and lightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 580 calories, Fat 32 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 31 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 8 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 44 grams protein, Sodium 1.71 milligram of sodium
CLASSIC AND SIMPLE MEAT LASAGNA
Whole wheat noodles and lean ground beef make this tasty favorite a little lighter.
Provided by ccb1122
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the lasagna noodles a few at a time, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Remove the noodles to a plate.
- Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook the meat, chopping it into small chunks as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined.
- Place 4 noodles side by side into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan; top with a layer of the tomato-basil sauce, a layer of ground beef mixture, and a layer of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice more, ending with a layer of sauce; sprinkle top with the mozzarella cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese has begun to brown, about 10 more minutes. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 500.5 calories, Carbohydrate 47.1 g, Cholesterol 114.5 mg, Fat 19.3 g, Fiber 6.3 g, Protein 35.6 g, SaturatedFat 9.1 g, Sodium 999 mg, Sugar 12.4 g
BAKED LASAGNA
This is the top lasagna recipe in our family. It originally came from a junior league recipe book called River Road Recipes.
Provided by PanNan
Categories European
Time 1h15m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Brown meat slowly.
- Add next 6 ingredients to meat (garlic through tomato paste).
- Add one tomato paste can of water.
- Simmer uncovered until thick or about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine cottage cheese with eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and Parmesan.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Also meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until tender.
- Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Spray a 13X9X2 baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
- Place 1/2 of the noodles in the bottom of the pan.
- Spread 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Next layer 1/2 of the meat mixture over the cottage cheese, then sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella over the meat.
- Layer again with noodes, cottage cheese, meat and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, until bubbling and mozzarella has browned some.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 560.2, Fat 26.2, SaturatedFat 14, Cholesterol 153.8, Sodium 1510.6, Carbohydrate 35.6, Fiber 3.5, Sugar 7.9, Protein 45.4
EASY LASAGNA
Make and share this Easy Lasagna recipe from Food.com.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Meat
Time 1h20m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, cottage cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese; set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the beef, onion, and garlic together until the beef is done; drain excess grease.
- Add water and all but 1 cup of spaghetti sauce to beef.
- Spread reserved spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch pan.
- Layer 5 to 6 lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping or breaking to fit.
- Spread half the cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Spoon a third of the beef mixture over the cheese layer.
- Repeat layers once.
- Add one more layer of 5 to 6 noodles and spoon remaining third of beef mixture over the top.
- Cover and bake 50 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Choose the best lasagna noodles. There are two main types of lasagna noodles: traditional and no-boil. Traditional lasagna noodles need to be boiled before assembling the lasagna, while no-boil noodles can be used straight from the package. If you're using traditional noodles, be sure to cook them according to the package directions.
- Use a variety of cheeses. The classic lasagna cheese combination is ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella, but you can also use other cheeses like cottage cheese, asiago, or fontina. Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite.
- Don't skimp on the sauce. The sauce is what really makes a lasagna sing, so be sure to use a generous amount. You can use a simple tomato sauce, or you can get creative and make a more complex sauce with vegetables, meat, or seafood.
- Layer the lasagna properly. The traditional order of layers is noodles, sauce, cheese, and then repeat. However, you can get creative with the layering and add other ingredients like vegetables, meat, or seafood.
- Bake the lasagna until it's bubbly and golden brown. The baking time will vary depending on the recipe, but it's usually around 30-40 minutes. You'll know the lasagna is done when it's bubbly and the top is golden brown.
Conclusion:
Lasagna is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With so many different recipes to choose from, there's sure to be a lasagna that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give lasagna a try. You won't be disappointed!
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