101 Lasagnas & Other Layered Casseroles

A Cookbook

Julia Rutland

• Publisher: S&S/Simon Element
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781982163211
• eBook ISBN: 9781982163228
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Culinary Arts

Enjoy lasagna every night of the week with this mix of classic and inventive lasagna recipes the whole family will love! Weekend or weeknight, everyone is always looking for easy and delicious recipes to put on the table—and what's more comforting than lasagna, the kind of food that satisfies from the moment the casserole is pulled from the oven, all hot and bubbly, with a mouthwatering aroma that fills the kitchen.But this isn't your grandma's lasagna. 101 Lasagnas & Other Layered Casseroles features 101 new creative takes on the traditional favorite, including vegetarian and plant-forward variations. Enjoy recipes like:
-Skillet Beef and Sausage Lasagna
-Asian Short Ribs with Wonton Noodles
-Green Chile Chicken with Tortilla "Noodles"
-Veggie Lasagna Pockets
-And Apple Pie Lasagna?Going beyond the recipes, this book teaches you the basics on different types and sized pans, including cast iron and glass bakeware, as well as the variety of available noodles, including gluten-free. Or skip the pasta altogether and use fresh veggies instead.If it has layers, we're considering it a lasagna—so pull out your casserole pans, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to give dinnertime some extra spice!

Feta & Spinach Lasagna

Fans of spanakopita will enjoy this simple spinach and feta combo. I added a bit of lemon zest to give the spinach flavor a lift. During a retest, I ran out of feta (someone in my house had been nibbling the cheese!), so I substituted about a quarter cup of crumbled blue cheese. Yum—it made a delicious variation!

SERVES 8

SPINACH FILLING

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (10-ounce) containers fresh baby spinach
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

PARMESAN BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups half and half or whole milk
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 2 cups (8 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• ⅓ cup toasted sliced almonds

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

MAKE THE SPINACH FILLING: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the spinach in batches, tossing and stirring with tongs until the spinach wilts. Stir in the salt, pepper, and lemon zest. If desired, transfer the spinach to a bowl to use the same skillet to prepare the sauce.

MAKE THE PARMESAN BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the half and half, salt, and nutmeg, if using. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Add the Parmesan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is smooth.

ASSEMBLE: Spread ½ cup of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, breaking the noodles to fit the dish. Top the noodles with one-third of the spinach, spreading it out with a fork. (The spinach might release excess water when standing. It’s okay to use the flavorful liquid in the lasagna. If you used frozen spinach, there may be too much liquid, so use a slotted spoon.) Top the spinach with one-third of the remaining white sauce and one-third of the feta. Repeat twice in this order: noodles, spinach, sauce, and feta. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds.

COVER AND BAKE for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna

Love spinach-artichoke dip? Then try this variation of the beloved appetizer. For heartier eaters, stir two cups of shredded rotisserie or grilled chicken into the artichoke mixture.

SERVES 4 TO 6

SPINACH-ARTICHOKE FILLING

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

PARMESAN BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

MAKE THE SPINACH-ARTICHOKE FILLING: Stir together the cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in spinach and artichoke hearts. Set aside.

MAKE THE PARMESAN BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter with the red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with 3 noodles, breaking some to fit the pan. Spread about one-third of the spinach-artichoke filling over the noodles and top with one-third of the remaining sauce. Repeat 2 more times in this order: noodles, spinach-artichoke filling, and sauce. Sprinkle the lasagna with the mozzarella cheese.

COVER AND BAKE for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Simple Spinach & Ricotta Roll Ups

This is one of the easiest lasagnas in this book! You can keep the ingredients in the pantry, fridge, or freezer for months, making this a fantastic last-minute dinner option. To keep it vegetarian but boost the protein, stir some thawed vegetarian meat crumbles into the pasta sauce and proceed.

SERVES 4

• 8 lasagna noodles

SPINACH-RICOTTA FILLING

• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 (9-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta or marinara sauce
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

COOK THE LASAGNA NOODLES in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse with cool water.

MAKE THE SPINACH-RICOTTA FILLING: Stir together the ricotta, spinach, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl.

ASSEMBLE: Pour half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place the noodles in batches on a work surface. Spread the ricotta cheese fi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Introduction
• Meat
• Poultry
• Vegetarian
• Seafood
• Dessert
• Metric Charts
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• Index
• Copyright