8x surprising ingredients to upgrade your lasagna

Okay, ready-made lasagna from the supermarket is really the ultimate comfort food on some days (by the way, this one is the best), but making a lasagna yourself, step by step, from scratch? That still gives us a little more comfort than the supermarket version. The making of the layers, the simmering of the sauce, the smell coming from the oven: delightful. Want to upgrade your favorite lasagna dish?You often only need one ingredient for that. A surprising ingredient, indeed.

How about the following 8 secret ingredients for the tastiest lasagna??

1. COFFEE
Uhm, coffee? Yes, really. Coffee is often experimented with in fun ways. Just think of the scallion latte aka the scallion coffee from China and – also from China – the coffee with pork flavor.. Coffee works wonders in lasagna too. It gives a deeper flavor profile to your dish. It does this in a subtle way: you don’t get the idea that you’re eating a bite of coffee with tomato and cheese. Just a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso in your tomato sauce is enough for the right effect.

2. LEMON
Lemon is just a straight-up hero in many dishes. In the kitchen, it is a lifesaver. If your lasagna sauce tastes a bit flat – which can especially be the case with white sauces – then the acidity of a lemon is the sparkle it needs. Try experimenting. Just lemon juice, just lemon zest, or both? All is possible. Tip: lasagna sauce with green leafy vegetables like spinach can often also use a lemon upgrade. It balances the bitter aspect of the vegetable. When life gives you lemons, you make lasagna.

3. CINNAMON
FavorFlavs Wieke already wrote it: with cinnamon, you turn your lasagna into a world dish.. You mix it with pepper and salt and then add it to the tomato sauce. The idea comes from the (sadly deceased) singer Tony Bennett, or rather his mother. Tony talked about a ‘true flavor explosion’ and we can only agree with the icon. We use standard cinnamon in our tomato sauce, also in our bolognese.

4. TRUFFLE
Truffle paste is delicious, so why not in lasagna? With truffle, you instantly make your lasagna a luxury variant. It gives your lasagna that delicious, nutty, rich flavor that we know so well from truffle. I understand that you can’t just dig up truffles in your garden – if only that were possible. Truffle oil is a good alternative in this case. You can easily get that at the specialty store. If you have truffle oil at home: this recipe for pasta with truffle oil is the best ever..

5. GOAT CHEESE
Which cheese do you usually put in or on your lasagna? I dare to bet it’s mozzarella or grated (aged) cheese. Why not experiment a bit more with that? For example, try goat cheese, which you mix with ricotta. Goat cheese has a pronounced flavor. If you add this cheese, your lasagna doesn’t need many big flavor enhancers. Just be careful in the supermarket. The price differences of goat cheeses can vary enormously.

6. NUTMEG
Could your lasagna use a sweet touch? Besides cinnamon, you can also add nutmeg to your dish. You only need a pinch to create a lot of flavor. What do you taste then? Well, that sweetness you were looking for! Plus a nutty addition, which is very welcome in a spicy, salty lasagna.

7. PESTO
Okay, pesto might not sound as exciting as coffee in your lasagna. We often see the flavorful stuff in pastas, like in the classic pasta-pesto. But honestly: do you ever spread a layer of pesto on your lasagna sheets? I really had an ‘oh-yes’ moment from this. It goes wonderfully with tomatoes, cheese, and pasta sheets (which are the standard ingredients of a lasagna) and adds a ton of flavor. Green pesto, red pesto; anything goes. As long as you make it yourself, because that’s just a million times tastier than from a jar.

8. COLD CUTS
No, I’m not talking about ground beef, I’m talking about salami, ham, and prosciutto: the cold cuts that you also put on your bread or eat straight from the hand. Slice one of your favorite cold cuts into thin strips and fry them in your sauce. The meat gives a savory, salty flavor and provides extra structure in your lasagna. Give it a try, if you’re a meat eater of course.

Source: Tasting Table