There's nothing like a bubbling lasagna for dinner, but sometimes the same old sauce, noodle, and cheese combo can get a bit old. Transform the basics into something really fun with a reinvented lasagna recipe the whole family will love. These pasta dishes are easy to make, whether you use unique ingredients or rely on nontraditional cooking techniques, and take lasagna to a whole new layered level. Click through for a reinvented lasagna recipe to try tonight.
There is nothing like hot, bubbling lasagna, but layering everything together takes time and can get messy. This family-friendly version of lasagna simply simmers in a skillet, making preparation and cleanup wonderfully easy. The entire family will love this dish and can adjust this basic recipe by adding favorite ingredients — mine sure did! And this dinner is on the table in 40 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner. Toss a big salad, grab some fresh rolls, and gather the family for a healthy meal.
We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week, we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares her favorite lasagna recipe.
I've been making my lasagna recipe since my early 20s. When I moved into my first apartment at age 19, I decided to learn my way around a kitchen and started experimenting with my favorite cuisine, Italian. At first, more spaghetti landed on the ceiling than on the plate, but ultimately, I perfected my go to dish: T's Meaty Lasagna.
Related: Tori Spelling's Holiday Pictorial
It became my good luck dish. I made it for my friends every time one of my TV movies premiered, which back then was a lot. Hey friends, come eat lasagna and watch me get stalked, killed, and shoot a bad pimp. Ahhh, those were the days! Nowadays, I make my lasagna for family and friends whenever we feel like a cozy home cooked meal. This Christmas / New Year’s, we went away to a house in the mountains. We didn't get any snow like expected, but I did make my lasagna dinner! Here's the recipe...
Disclaimer: I've never formally written this recipe down. It's all in my head. So I apologize if I've given it to anyone before and the measurements are slightly different.
Keep reading for Tori's recipes for lasagna, lasagna cupcakes, and garlic bread!
Fall's cooler temps are a perfect excuse to eat healthy comfort food! FitSugar reader Berry Happy Bodies shared this recipe for a slow-cooked vegetarian whole wheat lasagna in our Healthy Recipe group.
Learn how to make this recipe after the break!
Although I wouldn't consider a classic lasagna to be a fast and easy weeknight meal option, this variation, with a simple asparagus-ricotta filling and no sauce, is ideal for a middle of the week pick-me-up. The ingredient list calls for pancetta, but I had bacon in my fridge, so that's what I used. If you're a vegetarian, leave it out. The best part of this lasagna is the sun-dried tomato paste that's layered between the noodles; it packs a flavorful punch and melts into the scrumptiously cheesy filling. Want to save even more time? Use no-boil lasagna noodles. To take a look at the preparation method, keep reading.
According to The Wall Street Journal and Food and Wine, savory cupcakes, specifically lasagna cupcakes, are expected to hit the mainstream in 2011. Both publications have recently highlighted Los Angeles catering company Heirloom-LA, who's spearheaded the trend with the creation of its lasagna cupcakes, which are wildly popular among celebrities.
Perhaps I'm experiencing cupcake fatigue, but I can't help but wonder: how are these cupcakes different from lasagna rolls? I've been making Giada De Laurentiis's version for years, and while the recipe doesn't have you bake them in muffin tins, one could certainly do so. And if one does, does that make it a lasagna cupcake?
Should any dish that's individually sized and made in a muffin tin be considered a cupcake? What's your take on it?
Whenever I'm in need of an easy and comforting vegetarian meal that serves a crowd and can be made in advance, I turn to lasagna. Although the classic variation is loaded with meat, there are tons of vegetable lasagnas out there, from asparagus to spinach-pesto. My latest favorite is mushroom lasagna. Not just any mushroom lasagna, but Ina Garten's portobello mushroom version.
If it's a Barefoot Contessa dish, you know it's got to be good and this recipe does not disappoint. The resulting lasagna will have your guests crying, "OMG this is amazing!" It's rich, cheesy, creamy, and just plain delicious. The chunky portobellos are so meaty, even carnivores will enjoy this hearty meal. It's a one-pan dinner that's perfect for cooler weather, so get the technique after the jump.
Add some allure to the idea of eating at home by serving your family, quite literally, a modern twist on a weeknight classic like lasagna.
Rather than layering sheets of pasta with sauce and cheese, present the noodles as individual-sized roll-ups, each stuffed with its own helping of ricotta, wilted spinach, and marinara, and topped off with melted mozzarella.
Don't be afraid to modify the recipe to your liking: make the dish worthy of weekend cooking by incorporating homemade tomato sauce and fresh cheese, or add in sausage crumbles if you're looking to up the protein. Want the recipe? Then keep reading.
With its hearty tomato sauce, thick layers of pasta and cheese, and long cook time in the oven, traditional lasagna isn't the most Summer-friendly of dishes. However, when I came across a lighter, vegetarian version in the June issue of Bon Appétit, I knew I had to try it.
The classic meaty sauce is replaced with a homemade herb pesto and the filling is a mixture of cooked spinach, shallots, and lots of oozing cheese. It's a decadent dish that's absolutely worth the effort.
I served it at a vegetarian dinner party, and my guests could not stop raving about the creamy texture and flavorful pesto. It would also be an excellent side next to grilled meat or chicken. To give this seasonal lasagna a try, get the recipe here.
