When the weather is rainy like its been all week in NYC, I tend to crave heavy and hearty dishes, such as delicious pasta. Last night, to feed this craving, I made a batch of hearty and delicious Lasagna.
Admittedly, every time I cook, I look for ways to reinvent classic recipes. After scouring the internet and trying a few variations,
Here are 5 Ways to Makeover Your Next Batch of Lasagna.
1~Stuffed Italian Sausage. I usually visit my local Italian Deli and buy a pound of Italian Sausage stuffed with parsley and provolone cheese. This adds another level of flavor and another cheese to the dish. I usually make my Lasagna with approximately half ground beef and half Italian sausage.
2 ~Cream Cheese. Instead of Ricotta Cheese, I sometimes use softened cream cheese. I find that Ricotta cheese does not have much flavor. However, I find that cream cheese makes for a rich-tasting baked Lasagna.
3~Sweeter Lasagna. I find that children love sweeter lasagna and some adults do too. If I’m going for a “sweeter” tasting Lasagna, I use sweeter sauce like this one. Alternatively, if you scan the internet, there are plenty of recipes for sweeter homemade sauces that you can try.
4 ~No Bake Lasagna Noodles. I’ll admit, this change is not new for me. I ditched Lasagna noodles that require boiling, years ago. If you’re short on time or simply just don’t have the patience (like me) then no bake lasagna noodles is a must try in your next lasagna dish.
5~ Go Meatless. Instead of ground beef or Italian sausage, substitute your next batch of lasagna with some veggies. I prefer a spinach and mushroom mix but the combinations are endless. When I’m whipping up a batch of meatless lasagna, I definitely use cream cheese instead of Ricotta cheese, which I find adds a richer flavor.
I’m sure there are a million ways to reinvent your next batch of lasagna, but these are perhaps my favorite ways. Nevertheless, get inspired by these delicious Lasagna recipes below.
Happy Cooking! -TBF
~Lasagna with Sausage mozzarella, Parmesan, and Cream Cheese~
(via a Spicy Perspective)
~Cream Cheese Lasagna~
(via 16th & Bliss)
~Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna~
(via Damn Delicious)
~Sweet Sausage and Three Cheese Lasagna~
(via Salt and Wind)
~Skinny Veggie Lasagna~
(via Pinch of Yum)
