The Meaty Reason Your Lasagna Isn't Tasting As Good As It Should

Making a lasagna from scratch is no small feat, especially when you consider all of the time-consuming elements involved in the pasta dish, as well as the myriad recipe options to choose from. There are many mistakes people make with lasagna, like overcooking the sheets of pasta or forgetting to let the dish rest after taking it out of the oven. But one of the biggest variables when it comes to perfecting lasagna is selecting the best type of meat to complement the other ingredients. We spoke with Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef at Jasper's Restaurant and host of Live! From Jasper's Kitchen, about a meat-related mistake that might be affecting your lasagna. 

Chef Mirabile says, "Using the wrong protein can really affect the flavor of the dish, especially when mixing it with ricotta cheese or mozzarella. Some meats just don't go together with cheese." He also warns about using the right flavorings with the meat you use, saying, "The wrong herbs and spices with another meat will not work the same as it would if you're using pork or ground beef." While you could take a page out of Emeril Lagasse's playbook and make a lasagna with a staggering six types of meat, it's best to play it safe and start with classic beef and pork before you start experimenting.  

When chef Mirabile prepares lasagna for his restaurant, he uses a century-old recipe. "I use our homemade Italian sausage prepared with ground pork, fennel seed, and a hint of red pepper. It's absolutely delicious when mixed with ricotta cheese in multiple layers." The chef reveals more about his ingredients, saying, "I really like adding béchamel sauce with a touch [of] tomato sauce in the lasagna pan on each layer and then adding the ground Italian sausage or cooked ground beef." 

In search of more meaty lasagna expertise, we also spoke with Anthony Scotto III, co-founder of the Pelato restaurant chain specializing in Italian cuisine infused with the spirit of Brooklyn. Scotto says he has made lasagna in almost any way you can think of, "from vegetable to meatball to wild boar and everything in between." When it comes down to a favorite, Scotto goes for classic lasagna flavors, saying, "There is something about the combination of a béchamel sauce and a beef bolognese that just works so well."

If you're trying to decide whether to use ricotta or béchamel sauce in a traditional lasagna (or both, as chef Mirabile does), you might consider that the difference is regional. Northern Italian recipes tend to favor rich béchamel sauce while southern Italian versions usually omit béchamel in favor of fresh, creamy ricotta. And while the argument rages on, both go well with the classic mix of beef and pork for lasagna. Don't forget to brush up your skills with our tips for making béchamel sauce.