Lasagna is always one of those meals that seem like a lot of work, but tastes so good and is such an impressive meal! It can take some time, but since it serves many, it is definitely worth the effort. We look at some recipes from Alison Roman who is a food writer and an author of two cookbooks. She has a no-nonsense approach to her cooking and appeals to a wide range of cooks.
When reading her column or watching her videos, you feel like you are chatting with a friend and it makes the cooking part seem less intimidating! Here we take a look at some of the best Alison Roman’s lasagnas – she breaks down the steps and makes them seem easy to make!
1. Alison Roman’s Classic Lasagna
Making lasagna takes time, but there are a few shortcuts here to help make this a bit less time-consuming. If you are looking for somewhere to cut even more time, use your favorite store-bought sauce instead of making it from scratch. If you use store-bought sauce, you would cook the sausage, (add garlic and onions if you want to) and then add the sauce.
There are many types of sausage out there and you can use your favorite whether it’s spicy. sweet, or a turkey variation – just don’t forget to remove it from its casings. Mixing the mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan with the cream makes for easier layering so this is an important step. And the second baking without the foil cover is when the magic happens – this is how the crispy curled up edges of the cheesy noodles form on top.
Get the full recipe and directions from NY Times.
2. Alison Roman’s Very Good Lasagna
As Ms. Roman put it, “ a very good lasagna isn’t overly cheesy or too saucy or insanely indulgent” and we agree! She does a great job with this recipe and manages to balance the elements in this tasty version.
You’ll find a surprise ingredient in this version of her recipe – anchovies! (Well, it’s actually not that big of a surprise, Alison loves adding anchovies to everything!) It adds a great nutty and salty flavor to the sauce and elevates this dish to a different level.
A few tips to ensure that your lasagna turns out great:
- Make sure to brown the tomato paste – it brings out the umami (salty and sweet) flavor.
- Also be sure and cook down the anchovies. Once cooked down you are left with such a great flavor that will make anyone eating this wonder what you did to make it taste so different and good!
- Cook your noodles just al dente so that when they bake together with the sauce, the sauce will continue to cook the noodles and add flavor to them as well.
- In order to keep the noodles from sticking, add a little oil between the layers and keep them spread out on a baking sheet before assembly.
Get the full recipe and directions from Today.com.
3. Alison Roman’s 3-Cheese Lasagna
Three cheeses – sign me up! Who doesn’t love an ooey gooey lasagna that oozes cheese and flavor? We got you.
This recipe contains, fresh mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan, and is complemented with a bit of heavy cream. When mixed with the cheeses, heavy cream prevents your ricotta from tasting sandy or gritty in the final product and makes this such a rich indulgent version.
Another important, yet fun tip is to hand-crush the tomatoes. Alison prefers to hand-crush her tomatoes rather than buy the pre-crushed in a can since those tend to have a lot of liquid in them (and you don’t want a watery lasagna). The two-step baking process is also important to get the crispy noodle cheesy crunch from the top layer of this lasagna!
Get the full recipe and directions from People.com.
4. Alison Roman’s Mushroom and Burrata Lasagnette
If you haven’t tried burrata and you love creamy and indulgent cheeses, then this is a must! Just make sure you save some for your lasagna! Burrata is a soft white cow’s milk cheese that if you looked quickly would be mistaken for fresh mozzarella. But it’s the inside that makes it so different and so rich! It’s creamy yumminess oozes out once cut and its mild flavor is just the best!
Here Alison pairs it with mushrooms and the combination is absolutely wonderful! She recommends a mix of mushroom and that makes a world of difference as they add different flavors and textures. Most notably missing from this recipe is the traditional red sauce, but with all the flavor from the mushroom and the richness of the burrata and the cream infused ricotta, we doubt you will miss it.
It’s recommended to use fresh pasta sheets for this recipe, but dry will also work as long as you prepare them al dente so they don’t get soggy. Her recipe suggests a kale salad and it’s the perfect complement since the vinegar in the kales helps to cut the decadence of the creamy burrata and ricotta.
Get the full recipe and directions from Bon Appetit.
5. Alison Roman’s Artichoke Lasagna
The last recipe we have is a great vegetarian version. It doesn’t have the typical bechamel sauce and the marinated artichoke hearts makes this lasagna recipe quite unique. The bite from the marinated artichoke hearts really adds a different flavor to this lasagna and it’s definitely worth trying. With the artichoke hearts, kale, and spinach, this ends up being a pretty tasty and hearty meal. When cooking the spinach and kale, be sure and cook in small batches so you don’t crowd the pan which allows the spinach and kale to wilt properly.
This recipe has ricotta in it and it’s important to be sure to use the full fat type of ricotta to give this the best texture and flavor. As Ms. Roman does with all of her lasagnas, the cream is an important component for making the ricotta creamier.
Get the full recipe and directions from Delicious.com.
With several options for making lasagna, one of these should work for what you are looking for. The best part is that since these recipes make 6-8 servings each, there are often leftovers! Lasagna is a great meal that can be saved for leftovers, but it also freezes well so that is an option as well. Give one or more of them a try!
If you like this post, we think you’ll like our Alison Roman’s Shallot Pasta post.
