Lasagna Beyond the Classic Casserole

Lasagna has a reputation of being an old-school—maybe even old-fashioned—Italian favorite. But amid the “newstalgia” trend, this retro-classic is in the perfect position to be reimagined. The beloved dish as we know it today (rich with tomato sauce and ricotta) is thought to have originated in Naples before being reinterpreted in the northern Emilia-Romagna region, arguably the gastronomic center of Italy. Here, traditional lasagna features pasta sheets made of spinach and layered with creamy white béchamel sauce and a rich, meaty ragu. This preparation is baked al forno, in a cooking pot called “lasanum,” which lends its name.

Over the centuries and throughout Italy, sausage and chicken fat as well as hard-boiled eggs, fish, pork belly and meatballs have all found their way into variations of lasagna. But, its roots lay in ancient Greece, where thin sheets of pasta were first thought to have been introduced to the Romans. Even Turkey has its famed su böreği (also known as water börek), where thin sheets of pasta are baked with cheese, herbs and lemon.

Many cultures around the world have a dish comparable to lasagna. Understanding this backstory as well as the wide-ranging variations can help chefs and menu developers mix up the formula, whether they’re incorporating local or global seasonings, trying different meat preparations or substituting in an unconventional sauce. Here are some fresh ideas that pull from current trends as well as lesser-known traditional spins. After all, venturing beyond marinara and ricotta presents a new world of menu possibilities.

Cheese Board With Lasagna “Crackers”

Both crispy and savory, fried lasagna noodles pack a wholly original texture; they’re also the perfect carrier for soft, spreadable herb-whipped ricotta cheese and burrata. Artfully plate this “lasagna” alongside cherry tomato-and-basil confit, shaved Parmesan and cooked Italian salumi, such as slices of cotechino from Modena and spreadable ‘nduja from Calabria. Presenting lasagna in this deconstructed way is a fun, shareable way to eat this favorite food on a hot summer day—when keeping the oven on for hours is a less than ideal option.

Lasagna Pinwheels

In the Lazio region of Italy, the iconic rotolo offers an alternative presentation of the layered lasagna. Long sheets of egg pasta are spread with a thin layer of seasoned ricotta, sprinkled with melty fontina and mozzarella and then topped with thin slices of prosciutto before the pasta is rolled up and cut into 2 to 3-inch pinwheels. These portions are baked with a creamy tomato sauce that makes portioning easy when served piping hot. These rolls can be premade and then baked when ordered in less than half the time it takes to fire off traditional lasagna. Try cooking the rolls in a white sauce drizzled with basil oil for a more elegant presentation.

Lasagna Nachos

Crunchy and craveable, fried lasagna noodles make the perfect bar snack, kids’ option or appetizer. Treated in the same manner as corn chips would be for a stack of nachos, these noodles can quickly be layered with traditional Bolognese sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan, flash-heated in the oven and served in much the same way as traditional nachos: fast, messy and flavor-packed.

Dippable Taquitos

Try rolling fresh pasta dough into cigar-sized “taquitos” filled with ground beef and smoky provolone cheese. Then, pan-fry the taquitos in annatto-infused oil for additional color and flavor. Add another dimension to the dining experience by including sides of spicy Calabrian chile marinara, creamy Alfredo and pesto sauces for dipping. These lasagna taquitos are easy to prepare ahead of time and can be quickly fried for a savory, shareable appetizer.

Gazpacho and Grilled Cheese “Sandwich”

Gazpacho meets its creamier cousin in this new take on the Spanish cold soup. Chill traditional lasagna to the point of being almost frozen, then slice the sheets into small squares. Flour, egg-wash and coat the squares with a manchego-breadcrumb coating before pan-frying. Submerge the lasagna “sandwich” in the chilled tomato-based soup. Garnish with fried Bilbao chorizo to bring depth of flavor without weighing down the overall dish.

Lasagna in its most recognizable form will remain a classic dish and favorite order, but with these ideas in mind, menu developers can flex their culinary muscles to build something wholly original. In doing so, they might even convince the purists to reimagine what lasagna can be, which is anything but old-fashioned.