Enhance your culinary skills and embark on a delicious journey with our carefully curated article, where we unveil the secrets to creating a remarkable makeover for the traditional lasagna. Discover innovative techniques, unique ingredient combinations, and creative presentation ideas that will transform this classic dish into a modern masterpiece. This comprehensive guide is your trusted companion, providing step-by-step instructions and insightful tips to create a lasagna that will tantalize taste buds and leave your guests craving for more. Prepare to elevate your cooking prowess as we guide you through the process of reinventing this beloved recipe, resulting in a culinary delight that will redefine your lasagna experience.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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.
TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
This recipe by Lorri Foockle won "Grand Prize" in a "Taste of Home" magazine. With five kinds of cheese it is by far THE BEST lasagna I've ever tasted!
Provided by Carrie Ann
Categories Meat
Time 2h20m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
- Add the next seven ingredients.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- In a bowl, combine the eggs, parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta and parmesan.
- Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
- Layer with 3 noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of mozzarella, three noodles, 2 cups of meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full).
- Cover and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.
- Uncover; bake 20 minutes longer.
- Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
SIMPLY TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
A traditional lasagna, with about half the time and effort! I always cook extra to have leftovers, but the more I cook, the more they eat! Serve with garlic toast and salad.
Provided by Kris Swiggum
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease. Stir in the water and black olives, and season with basil, garlic powder, oregano, sage, pepper, minced garlic, and onion flakes. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the marinara sauce, and remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Place a layer of the meat and sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of dry noodles. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the noodles, and sprinkle with a little mozzarella cheese. Cover with another layer of sauce, and repeat layering ending with the meat and sauce on top. Reserve about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese for later.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, but check after 30 minutes depending on how thick the lasagna is. Lasagna is cooked when you can easily stick a knife into it. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes for a nice melted cheese topping.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 735.5 calories, Carbohydrate 62.5 g, Cholesterol 103.8 mg, Fat 34.6 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 43.8 g, SaturatedFat 14.7 g, Sodium 1452.5 mg, Sugar 12 g
MAKEOVER TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
I've never been quick to pass along my special recipes, but this one is so good that it's become our family's Christmas Eve tradition! -Michelle Behan, Littleton, Colorado
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h55m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain., In a small bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan and parsley. Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with 3 noodles, half of the cheese mixture, 1-1/3 cups sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until bubbly. Top with provolone and remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with additional parsley.,
Nutrition Facts : Calories 361 calories, Fat 15g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 133mg cholesterol, Sodium 634mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 32g protein.
FAMOUS LASAGNA
From here on, this cozy classic will become Your Famous Lasagna, sure to star at weekend parties and weeknight meals for years to come. The noodles are layered with rich meat sauce and creamy ricotta mixed with bright flecks of fresh parsley, and gooey mozzarella helps keep the whole creation together.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Ground Beef Recipes
Yield Serves 8 to 10
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt water; add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Lay noodles on a baking sheet, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, parsley, and egg. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Begin layering: Place 4 noodles in dish, slightly overlapping. Top with half the meat sauce and 4 more noodles. Top with half the ricotta filling, then half the mozzarella. Repeat the layering process, ending with the mozzarella. Sprinkle top with Parmesan.
- Cover with lightly oiled foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, 30 to 40 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: LASAGNE
A lighter version of the family classic that retains its full flavour
Provided by Angela Nilsen
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 2h30m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Make the meat sauce: heat oil in a large sauté pan, then tip in onion and fry for 5 mins until golden. Add carrots and garlic, then fry for 2 mins more. Stir in both meats, breaking up the pork with a wooden spoon. Cook over a high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the juices are released. Pour in wine, scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, then cook for 1-2 mins until the liquid is reduced. Tip in tomato purée, tomatoes and 2 tbsp water, then stir to break up tomatoes. Add ½ tsp nutmeg and some pepper, cover, then simmer for 1 hr, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt if you like. Mix in torn basil. Sauce can be chilled for up to 1 day.
- While the sauce is simmering, prepare the other layers. Tip the spinach into a large bowl and pour over boiling water. After 30 secs, tip spinach into a colander and put under cold running water briefly to cool. Squeeze to remove excess water. Beat the egg in a bowl, then mix with ricotta, parsley, a pinch of nutmeg and pepper. Soak the lasagne sheets in a single layer in boiling water for 5 mins. (Although the packet says no pre-cook, I find soaking improves the texture.) Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Start layering. Spread a few big spoonfuls of sauce to barely cover the base of an ovenproof dish (20 x 29 x 6cm deep). Cover with 2 sheets of lasagne, then spread over half the remaining sauce. Cover with 2 more lasagne sheets, then scatter spinach evenly over. Spread the ricotta mixture on top and cover with 2 more lasagne sheets. Spread with remaining sauce, then scatter over mozzarella and Parmesan to almost cover meat. Top with cherry tomatoes and some pepper, then cover loosely with foil.
- Bake for 35 mins, then remove foil and bake 5-10 mins more. Leave for a few mins, then scatter with basil and serve with salad.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 447 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 9 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 31 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Protein 38 grams protein, Sodium 0.96 milligram of sodium
CLASSIC LASAGNA RECIPE BY TASTY
When layers of cheesy lasagna come together flawlessly, that's amore! Pile on beefy marinara sauce, delicious noodles, and a blend of cheeses, then kick back and let this lasagna do the bakin'. This classic Italian dinner is easy to whip up and even easier to call your go-to comfort food.
Provided by Betsy Carter
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) baking dish lightly with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef and marinara sauce.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 5 cooked lasagna noodles, overlapping as needed to completely cover the sauce. Spread 2 cups of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella to make 2 more layers.
- Bake the lasagna for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling up through the layers. Turn the broiler to high and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the top layer of cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let the lasagna cool for 30-45 minutes, then serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 946 calories, Carbohydrate 28 grams, Fat 58 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 68 grams, Sugar 7 grams
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
RECIPE MAKEOVER-VEGAN LASAGNA
I am taking a "Healthy" Cooking class, sponsored by the university where I work. One assignment was to make-over a recipe to be more health conscious. Because I am a vegan, and unfortunately can't eat many of the dishes prepared in the class each week, I decided to make over the recipe VEGAN. The original recipe was a lasagna with a meat and cheese layer. I have substituted the full fat ricotta cheese layer with my Tofu Basil Ricotta and the "meat" layer with a vegan version of my grandmother's homemade ravioli filling (traditionally a mixture of ground beef, pork sautéed with onions, garlic, spinach and spices) This was also the first time I used the "no-bake" lasagna noodles! : >
Provided by Kozmic Blues
Categories European
Time 1h30m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- For the Tofu Ricotta (see also my recipe #279343):.
- In a large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands, till it's crumbly.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil.
- Mush with hands again, this time you want it to get very mushy so squeeze through your fingers and mush until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese. May take 2-5 minutes.
- Add olive oil, stir with fork (olive oil is sticky).
- Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the "meat" layer:.
- In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the chopped onions in the olive oil until slightly tender.
- Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the dried Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper, if using, and stir to coat onions/garlic evenly.
- Next add the dried textured vegetable protein (TVP). It will begin to absorb ALL the liquid in the pan.
- Add a splash or two of the vegetable stock and stir to coat all the TVP with the garlic/onions.
- Next add the tamari, which will give the TVP it's darker color.
- Stir to coat, add the nutritional yeast then slowly add the vegetable broth, and slowly stir as the liquid absorbs.
- Lower the heat and let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the chopped spinach and stir to incorporate evenly.
- Keep mixture on low until ready to assemble.
- Layer you lasagna as you wish.
- If using the "no bake" noodles, be sure to use plenty of sauce on each layer to soak into the dry sheets.
- 1-2 cups sauce on the bottom of pan, layer of dry noodles, layer of 1/2 "meat" spinach mixture, layer of sauce.
- Then layer of noodles, layer of vegan ricotta, layer of sauce.
- Layer of noodles, layer of second 1/2 of "meat" spinach mixture, layer of sauce, then top with noodles and sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour.
- Remove and let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
- Can be topped with vegan "parmesan cheese".
Nutrition Facts : Calories 153.7, Fat 6.4, SaturatedFat 1, Sodium 765.4, Carbohydrate 17.4, Fiber 3.1, Sugar 10.3, Protein 9
Tips:
- Choose High-Quality Ingredients: Use fresh, flavorful ingredients to create a delicious lasagna. Opt for high-quality cheese, meats, and vegetables.
- Cook the Noodles Al Dente: To prevent mushy lasagna, cook the noodles al dente, meaning they should be slightly firm to the bite.
- Make a Rich and Savory Sauce: The sauce is the heart of a lasagna. Simmer it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Use a combination of ground beef, pork, or sausage for a flavorful base.
- Use a Variety of Cheeses: Don't limit yourself to just one type of cheese. A combination of mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan provides a creamy, gooey, and nutty flavor profile.
- Don't Skimp on the Layers: Lasagna is all about layers, so don't be afraid to pile on the ingredients. Aim for at least 4 layers of noodles, sauce, cheese, and meat.
- Bake Until Golden Brown: Bake the lasagna uncovered in a preheated oven. The top should be golden brown and bubbly, and the cheese should be melted and slightly browned.
Conclusion:
Transforming traditional lasagna into a modern culinary masterpiece is a delightful journey. By incorporating a variety of flavorful ingredients, experimenting with different cooking techniques, and paying attention to the details, you can create a lasagna that is both hearty and refined. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply craving a comforting meal, this modernized lasagna is sure to impress.
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