The Final Step You Can't Skip For Lasagna With A Perfectly Crisp Top

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Baking lasagna is admittedly both costly and time-consuming; however, the results of your efforts are more than worthwhile. It's a large-scale meal that can last over several servings, and you can customize the flavors and fillings to your liking. Whether you're making a fully plant-based or vegetarian dish or using pork, beef, or turkey, there's nothing quite like cutting into a piece of just-baked lasagna with all the tastes and textures you love the most. For the ultimate interplay of tender and crispy consistency, finish off your lasagna in the broiler to develop a crave-worthy top crust.

One of the best ways to add more flavor to your homemade lasagna is by giving it a minute or less under the broiler after baking but before serving. The high heat of the broiler affects the cheese by shrinking the milk proteins and eliminating the water while browning the fat molecules. This is what gives your cheese topping a picture-perfect crispness. It's necessary to keep a watchful eye on your lasagna under the broiler to prevent it from overheating and potentially burning.

It's also important to choose the right type of cheese or a blend of several to ensure proper browning on top. Take a cue from pizza bakers and consider such cheeses as mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan to melt and brown under the broiler. There are also a few other additions you can make to truly make the most out of your lasagna from top to bottom.

Regardless of your favorite fillings, just about any lasagna recipe you can think of will benefit from a crisp topping. A classic lasagna bolognese recipe is filled with a hearty red sauce and a rich béchamel between layers of delightfully dense noodles. The final topping of nutty Parmesan and fresh mozzarella will brown and crisp when briefly placed under the broiler, allowing for the ideal combination of a crunchy top crust and soft filling.

For a plant-based version of a lasagna, you can use your favorite vegetables or meatless fillings and sauces. Given the fact that the browning comes from the reduction of milk proteins and fats, however, you won't get the same sort of browning using a vegan cheese like VIOLIFE Just Like Mozzarella Shreds. With that said, you can still let it melt in the baking process and even just slightly under the broiler, or consider adding a few drops of annatto oil to simulate the browned color in the cheese.

You can also get creative with other additions to your cheese filling and toppings by adding a sprinkle of fresh herbs, minced garlic, or even a shake of your favorite seasonings before finishing off your lasagna in the broiler. No matter what lasagna recipe you keep coming back to, being conscientious with your choice of filling and toppings and giving your dish just the slightest amount of time to broil and crisp will make for an unforgettable meal that you can enjoy over and over again.