16 luscious lasagna recipes to celebrate National Lasagna Day (2024)

On Thursday, the country is celebrating the national holiday devoted to lasagna. Yes, lasagna — the lusciously cheesy Italian casserole best served family-style at any occasion.

Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. It's perfect for summer entertaining with a refreshing side salad or made ahead of time for those cozy, cool nights when you don't feel like lifting a finger.

Whether you enjoy the classic combo of delicate noodles, tomato sauce, ground beef, ricotta and mozzarella or prefer omitting the marinara for a creamy, white version packed with veggies, TODAY Food has everyone lasagna-loving home cook covered. Here our best lasagnas to enjoy today and everyday!

Nothing compares to a true lasagna Bolognese like you'd find in Italy. The combination of the rich meat sauce and incredibly creamy béchamel are what dreams are made of. It takes a little extra effort to make the Bolognese sauce (here's the recipe!), but you can do it of time so that it's simple to assemble the whole dinner in just 15 minutes any night of the week.

There's something comforting about digging up the thick pieces of lasagna noodles smothered in garlicky red sauce. Plus, the spinach makes it feel at least a little bit healthy.

With four cheeses, a creamy white sauce and loads of roasted wild mushrooms, this vegetarian lasagna is pure decadence. For the mushrooms, look for a mix of shiitakes, oyster mushrooms and cremini. The earthy, salty flavors balance the rich cheeses beautifully.

Beans in lasagna? You bet! While this lasagna is delicious fresh out of the slow cooker, many think it's even better the next day. It's super versatile so feel free to swap in other veggies like sliced bell peppers, zucchini and summer squash or change up the greens to Swiss chard.

Thanks to a little help from a package of frozen ravioli, you can pull a skillet of toasty, bubbly lasagna from the oven in a little more than half an hour in this ingenious one-pan supper.

Lasagna from trendsetter Don Angie in New York City has a perfect textural balance. Every slice has a crispy top layer and is soft and delicate beneath. The lasagna is lighter than most traditional lasagnas because we use robiola cheese instead of ricotta cheese. The pinwheels are easy to share, and they are fun to make.

Giada's rich baked pasta is made with layers of tender short ribs, creamy basil-flecked cheese and sweet tomato sauce.

The deal lasagna isn't overly cheesy or too saucy or insanely indulgent. Instead, it has a "civilized ratio" of pasta to sauce to cheese, so that each slice feels satisfying but also balanced. This version masters that ratio.

Lasagna doesn't have to be heavy. In fact, with no-boil lasagna noodles (regular, whole wheat or chickpea), hearty vegetables and some cheese, this simple casserole can be as nourishing as it is a savory treat.

Ree Drummond's roll-ups are great for shrimp, pasta and cheese lovers. You can make it all the way through if you have the time, or you can refrigerate or freeze the unbaked casserole for less fuss at dinnertime.

Slow-cooker lasagna works wonderfully; start with uncooked regular lasagna noodles, which will hold their shape well, and cook on low for less than four hours to prevent overcooking. It also has a few cups of spinach for a little extra iron.

This two-in-one recipe combines the crispy deliciousness of chicken Parmesan with the cheesy, saucy goodness of lasagna.

Add flavor, bulk, texture and nutrients (and reduce the amount of carbs, if you care about that kind of thing) to lasagna by layering eggplant into the classic Italian dish.

Sweet pumpkin puree and spiced, earthy sausage compliment the sharp, creamy flavors of the melted cheese and noodles in Katie Lee's interesting variation of the classic.

Al's vegetarian lasagna, which is bubbling with gooey cheese, is a delicious way to sneak lots of vegetable servings into dinner.

We're fans of lasagna — not doing dishes. Giada's spicy version comes together in one skillet so you can spend more time enjoying and less time cleaning.