A Taste of Nostalgia With a Modern Twist: 4 NEW ZENB Lasagna Recipes to Try
Have you ever noticed that pasta, seemingly simple at first glance, is more than just a vehicle for sauces or toppings? Pasta can be deeply tied to our emotions and memories. One bite can transport us back to Sunday dinner’s with the family, giggly sleepovers with friends, or a romantic first date with a partner. Of course, the same can be said for lots of foods, but the ubiquity of pasta and dishes like mac-and-cheese and spaghetti and meatballs means that there are many opportunities throughout our lives for emotional connections to be made.
Nowhere is that connection stronger than with the classic comfort food, lasanga. For many of us, a bubbling, saucy casserole dish of lasagna is practically synonymous with family dinner. With NEW! ZENB Lasagna, you can get the taste of childhood, all grown up with a better-for-you upgrade. Made with just one ingredient, 100% yellow peas including the skins, each 3 oz serving delivers 17 g of protein and 11 g of fiber plus key vitamins and minerals, for nutritious, gluten-free lasagna dishes without sacrificing the taste and texture you love, just like all of the ZENB pasta products.
While you can’t go wrong with a classic meat & veggie lasagna recipe, if you want to get a bit creative with things (we see you, ZENB fam!), we’ve rounded up four unique, globally inspired ZENB Lasagna recipes for you to take for a spin:
Five-Spice Mushroom Bolognese Lasagna
If you’re always looking for ways to add bold, tongue-tingling flavors to your pantry, invest in a nice bottle of Five-Spice powder. This spice blend is prized in almost all variations of Chinese cuisine, and is usually made up of fennel seeds, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and Szechuan peppercorns. Other additions may include ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, galangal, and orange peel. It’s a shortcut to a burst of aromatic, umami flavor in any dish you choose to use it in.
In this instance, we’re using it to add a mysterious, complex flavor to this vegetarian lasagna that’s poppin’ off with umami goodness. Meaty, earthy shiitake mushrooms take the place of ground meat in a decadent Bolognese sauce, which is spread, along with a ricotta filling, between ZENB lasagna noodles and covered with mozzarella for that perfect golden, gooey cheesy top layer.
Salsa Verde Chicken Lasagna
If you always order the enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant, this recipe is right up your alley. It’s got all of the zesty fiesta feels (Tangy salsa verde! Salty queso fresco!) cleverly remixed into a delicious lasagna! It only requires about 20 minutes of prep time but nearly an hour in the oven, so plan ahead. But, because it uses a rotisserie chicken — one of our all-time favorite, time-saving hacks — this is definitely still a weeknight-friendly entree. Serve with chips and guac as a side dish, if you’re feeling a little extra!
Kimchi and Corn Cheese Lasagna
It might be hard to imagine kimchi, the fiery, fermented Korean vegetable condiment tucked into a lasagna. But stick with us here: like so many briny foods, like sauerkraut and pickles, kimchi actually pairs really well with cheese (look up kimchi grilled cheese; it’s a thing). In this inventive lasagna, kimchi gets cuddly with scallions, corn, and cheese.
This combo is our riff on Korean Corn Cheese, a banchan (snacky little side dish) served before a meal at Korean restaurants!
Mascarpone Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna Cups
The motto of this recipe is: “Lasagna, but make it mini and cute!” Using a muffin tin to create mini lasagnas is a smart, efficient way to make individual portions. The filling is a variation on the time-honored spinach and artichoke dip that has been gracing party tables for generations. Rich, velvety mascarpone adds a lusciousness, with plenty of shredded mozzarella so you still get that sexy cheese pull moment.
Ready to spend some quality time in the kitchen? Explore the ZENB recipe collection for over 150 plant-fueled ideas for every meal of the day. For more cooking inspiration, advice, and hacks, check out the ZENB blog, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
