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If there was a hierarchy of the best creamy pasta dishes, lasagna would rank at the top. It may take some time to layer the baked pasta dish, but the result is pure comfort food that's worth the effort every time. Ree Drummond insists: "I am firmly convinced Ladd proposed to me" over the lasagna recipe her mom taught her years ago because it's that good. After all, it's called the "Best Lasagna Ever" for a reason!
But of course, her classic take isn't the only marriage-worthy Italian dinner idea. There are so many different types of lasagna out there to try. You can make it in a skillet. You can make it in a loaf pan. Heck, you can even convert it into a soup recipe! But of course, there are the more traditional casserole-type recipes that just call for ingredient swaps to switch it up like adding vegetables or making it a chicken pasta dish.
So if you're "deeply, madly in love" with like Ree (and Ladd!), look no further than these 17 lasagna recipes! Many of these you can make ahead or freeze for a day when you're snowed in. Others you can whip up on a weeknight when you've got a hankering for something hearty. Either way, even if you don't anticipate a marriage proposal when you make one of these lasagna ideas, at least you can expect lots of smiles and full bellies.
1
Best Lasagna Ever
Ralph Smith
Here it is, Ladd! Ree says this meat lasagna is "the easiest thing in the world" to make with easy-to-find ingredients like canned tomatoes and ricotta.
There are two classic ways to make lasagna: one just cheese and the other with a creamy béchamel sauce. This is the latter and also features layers of yellow squash, spinach, and pesto.
Why choose between lasagna and chicken parmesan when you can have both at the same time? This hybrid dish combines the two into one bubbly and crispy crowd-pleaser.
Get all the layers of flavor of classic lasagna but way faster. Making it in a skillet takes just over a half hour from start to finish, which means you can make it for dinner tonight.
No noodles here! Instead, they are replaced by layers of eggplant. But this is not a vegetarian dish, because there's also a hearty meat sauce layered in.
Another fun twist on the classic flavors is to roll the noodles up like neat little packages instead of layering them flat. You can make one big dish or several small loaf pans.
Do you have picky eaters that don't vegetables? Hide peppers, mushrooms, and yellow squash under lots of cheese and pasta, and they'll eat 'em right up.
Try another hybrid recipe combining two favorites: pizza and lasagna. Noodles roll around the filling and then are layered in a pie dish. Then they're topped with cheese and pepperoni like a pizza!
Make life easier with a can of pumpkin puree! It gives this lasagna a smooth, creamy filling with extra vitamins. A bit of nutmeg and fresh sage really bring the fall flavors together.
If you want the eggplant and the noodles, too, make this easy dish! It comes together in no time if you use smaller eggplants and jarred marinara sauce.
Loaf Pan Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Sausage
Ralph Smith
If you want extra layers, make your lasagna in a loaf pan! This has five noodle layers, and in between, you find autumnal butternut squash cream sauce and sausage.
One-pan meal to the rescue! Ree calls this "quick, easy, and super satisfying" so it's perfect for any weeknight. It's made with bowtie pasta, which cooks much faster than large noodles.
Meat, tomato sauce, cheese―it's all there, so what makes this a hotdish? Use smaller pasta! In this recipe, you use the mafalda shape, which looks like mini lasagna noodles.