Giada De Laurentiis’ ‘Lighter Take’ on Her Sheet Pan Lasagna Is Fresh, Citrusy & Perfect for Spring
When the weather starts to warm up, it’s natural to want to indulge in lighter meals. But that doesn’t mean you have to toss comfort foods like lasagna to the side until next fall and winter. Giada De Laurentiis has a lighter version of her fan-favorite sheet pan lasagna that you’ll want to make all summer long. It’s still comforting, but with its fresh and citrusy flavors, it won’t tuck you into bed like a traditional lasagna will.
“This brighter, lighter, cheesy take on my OG sheet pan lasagna is just what I need right now — a little sunshine,” De Laurentiis said in a recent Instagram video.
The recipe begins with De Laurentiis making a tomato puree using her Giadzy-brand canned Datterini tomatoes as a base. “I add garlic, a little bit of my spicy seasoning salt, and puree it all together,” De Laurentiis said. “Add some chopped basil right in there…[and puree] until it’s nice and smooth.”
She then boils lasagna noodle-shaped taccole pasta (you could use traditional lasagna noodles cracked in half if you can’t source taccole) and mixes them with grated parmesan as soon as they come out of the water. Then she adds the tomato puree and dumps the mixture onto a sheet pan and spreads everything out so it will cook and crisp evenly.
Before the lasagna goes into the oven, De Laurentiis makes a topping with ricotta, lemon zest, basil, and more parmesan cheese. “And then I just dollop it right on top [of the lasagna noodles], sprinkle a little fontina cheese because it melts so beautifully,” she said. “Pop it into the oven…and here you go! This is heaven.”
Each piece has a crispy edge, the cheese is melted pizza-style, and you can eat the noodles right off the tray. This zesty, lighter take on traditional sheet pan lasagna will become your new favorite recipe to make and serve this spring and summer. Save the recipe from De Laurentiis’ Instagram, or become a Giadzy member to access the full written recipe, and enjoy!
Before you go, check out our gallery:
