The Web's 7 Best Lasagna Recipes
Lasagna is one of those dishes that can be taken in lots of directions: You can stick with the traditional mixture of ground beef and mozzarella for a comforting trip down memory lane, or you can mix and match, swapping in different ingredients that can still come together in a comforting layered casserole, the result of a successful experiment. Here are 7 easy lasagna recipes that are sure to spark some creativity in your cooking.
Pumpkin Lasagna
For Thanksgiving, Chef Todd English loves to prepare 'common' vegetables in an 'uncommon' way: shredding Brussels sprouts into coleslaw with mayonnaise, lemon and sometimes chopped truffles, or making pumpkin lasagna, a dish that he prepared at the New York Culinary Experience in early October. The presentation of this delicious and decadently-creamy dish will make your Thanksgiving dinner anything but ordinary.
Click Here to see the Pumpkin Lasagna Recipe
Easy Gluten Free Vegetable Lasagna
"What is more delicious after a long day of work than a slice of piping-hot lasagna with a glass of a full-bodied red wine? Not much. Yet, when I cut out most dairy and gluten out of my diet a couple of months ago, I feared there would be no more room for one of my Italian favorites. Well, no more."
Click Here to see the Gluten Free Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
101-Layer Lasagna
To create this monster (though a delicate one), all you need is one of those aluminum roasting pans that you can bend to the shape of the wrappers, a pastry brush for applying the béchamel, three hours to spare, and determination and patience. The result is pretty impressive, but definitely improved by allowing everything to set and meld overnight, and slicing it thin and reheating it either on the flattop or crisped up in the oven.
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Cheesy Lasagna Cupcakes with Shrimp
These are individual lasagna cupcakes, for crying out loud! They taste great and they're adorable. I decided to make these as a twist on shrimp mac and cheese! Hope you enjoy!
Click Here to see the Cheesy Lasagna Cupcakes with Shrimp Recipe
Mexican Lasagna
Be forewarned: This lasagna is properly hot. If you "don't do spicy food," feel free to cut down the amount of chipotles en adobo, or to omit them entirely. But, if you're a fellow fire-breather like me, you'll notice that contrary to what a lot of people say about spicy food, the flavors don't get drowned out in this dish. That's because there are plenty of robust flavors to stand up to all the heat - freshly ground cumin, rich freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese, and poblano peppers charred over an open flame. It's all in the details on this one.
Click Here to see the Mexican Lasagna Recipe
Smoked Mozzarella, Chicken, and Spinach Lasagna
For this lasagna, we swapped out the fresh mozzarella with smoked, and replaced ground beef with lean ground chicken. Dollops of goat cheese helped to give it creaminess, spinach helped break up the richness, and the chicken also helped to lighten it up. Instead of baking it in a large dish, we also used gratin dishes to separate it into individual portions.
Click Here to see the Smoked Mozzarella, Chicken, and Spinach Lasagna Recipe
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Recipe
A good, creamy lasagna is important to have in your cooking repertoire. This lasagna is simple and easy to make, and the ricotta adds a creaminess that other lasagnas may use béchamel sauce to achieve. The layer of basil adds extra freshness, so be sure to use basil leaves, not dried.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1 bunch fresh spinach
5-6 lasagna sheets
1 cup tomato sauce
One 15-ounce package ricotta
One 8-ounce package shredded mozzarella
About 20 leaves fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, stir together, and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions.
In an 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce. Cover the tomato sauce with lasagna noodles (you can tear pieces to fill in the edges). Spread the spinach mixture thinly over the noodles. Add a generous layer of ricotta on top of the spinach. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Put another layer of tomato sauce and repeat the previous process again. Before adding your second layer of mozzarella, cover the entire lasagna with fresh basil leaves. Then, cover with mozzarella and Parmesan.
Place the lasagna in the oven and bake until the cheese is browned on the edges, about 25 minutes.
-The Daily Meal
