6 Savory Recipes For National Lasagna Day

It's a big deal for Italian food lovers and here are 6 savory recipes for National Lasagna Day, June 29th. This classic Italian dish has lots of variations and is crafted differently in different regions of Italy. Spoiler alert. Your grandma's way is not the only way.

In Bologna, the noodles are often green thanks the addition of spinach in the dough. Some regions include chunks of vegetables in the ragu along with meat. Another fun fact, some historical accounts claim Ancient Greece was the birthplace of lasagna. The name itself is derived from the Greek word "laganon" which means layers of pasta.

My grandmother was Sicilian. Growing up, lasagna was the main course on Christmas day. It still is. For me, it is comfort food at its best. It makes me happy and so does watching these recipes come to life.

All of the videos were taken from my social media feed. You don't need to have your own account to view them. Just scroll down and watch them unfold here. Warning. You might get hungry.

BONUS: I've added a couple of wine suggestions following the recipes for even more TikTok Tuesday fun.

While it is common place to use ricotta and mozzarella as lasagna layers, the original recipes used bechamel. Bechamel is a decadent mix of butter, flour and milk. If you have not tried lasagna with this silky mix, warning. You might not ever go back to your old ways.

This is different from a gluten free version where veggies are substituted for noodles. In this recipe, veggies are blended with ricotta then layered into the dish as usual. Your kids or spouse might not ever realize they are getting a serving of vegetables and perhaps eating a more healthful version.

This is a new trend and has become all the rage. Even famous, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentis is getting in on the action. Here is her recipe. It DOES look pretty good. Think lasagna nachos. I might have to give this one a try.

At first, I thought this looked like lasagna soup. But no, it's just a lazy lasagna, not that there is anything wrong with it. Especially if you are busy, lack space, or don't want to turn your oven on in the hot summer months. I hear ya on the last one. Try this.

Here we go with that gluten free version. Zucchinis are everywhere this summer. For a lighter lasagna version, they are sliced thin and used in place of pasta sheets. In addition, cottage cheese is substituted for the ricotta cheese in another healthful twist.

My first thought when I saw this video was that my grandmother would roll over in her grave if I ever did this. However, if you are under a time crunch for dinner, this version could be something for you to get behind. To me, it looks a little dry but I'm sure you can find some ways around that, like adding more sauce.

Wine is produced in every region of Italy. Pairing wine with lasagna ultimately depends on the type of sauce, meats, veggies, cheeses, etc. that you use. However, these are all versatile selections for Lasagna dining pleasure.

Yes, a rose of pinot grigio. Not everyone drinks red wine and a rose like this one is a good alternative. The grapes spend more time on the skins giving this wine more depth of flavor than your average pinot grigio, and a gorgeous color too. It has lots of red fruits, minerality, acidity, and is great with food. $25

Chianti is a classic pairing for me when it comes to lasagna and this is from a classic producer. It smells like a delicious fruit bouquet. On the palate it has a fresh and flirty mouthfeel with some pepper, herbs and red fruit. $18.99

From Tuscany, this is a delicious blend that changes every year. This 2021 is 50% sangiovese with some cabernet sauvignon, merlot and more. It scored 94 points and is a great value. The wine has both red and dark fruit, some herbs, and light tannins. The current vintage is 2023 with merlot, sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and more. $25 range.

This Italian wine is completely different. It is a Bordeaux-style that is 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 10% carmenere. It is a lovely, smooth yet powerful wine that has balsamic quality to it. Try it with a tenderoin also. $40

*Please drink responsibly

*Prices vary