Creamy ricotta, hearty sausage, and tangy tomato layered between sheets of pasta in warm, bubbly goodness – lasagna pleases even the most finicky of crowds. And with its savory, meaty, and rich flavors, lasagna is delicious with many wines. Read on for our top 3 recommendations for lasagna and wine pairing, along with an easy recipe.
Lasagna and Wine Pairing
There are a number of ways to pair wine with lasagna. You can follow the traditional rule of matching Italian dishes to Italian wines. Or, you can complement lasagna’s flavors to wines with a similar profile. And finally, if you have a preferred wine, you can even alter the dish to more closely match it.
Italian Wine Pairing #1: Sangiovese
Naturally, Italian cuisine has evolved to fit the wines produced in its region. The bold, savory tomato-meat sauce pairs perfectly with the bright acidity and red cherry flavors of Sangiovese. With its medium body, Sangiovese has just enough tannins to hold up to the meat, without tasting astringent against the sauce.
Meanwhile, the acidity in the tomatoes matches the bright red cherry and plum flavors in the wine. If you’re on a budget, even the most rustic of Chianti wines will soften and open up against the hearty meat sauce. If you’re looking for a more refined, elegant wine, it’s hard to beat Brunello di Montalcino. This Sangiovese offers complex tobacco, spice, leather, and plum flavors, along with the same food-friendly acidity and structured tannins that a robust tomato-meat sauce needs.
Italian Wine Pairing #2: Barbera d’Alba
Looking to branch out from Sangiovese? Check out Barbera d’Alba. It usually offers plenty of tart cherry, earth, and spice flavors. The rich tomato-meat sauce softens Barbera’s tannins, helping bring more of its aromatics to the surface. Meanwhile, its bright, balsamic-like acidity is excellent with the tomato sauce.
Non-Italian Wine Pairing: Rioja
Of course, Italian wines aren’t the only wines that go well with lasagna. Rioja, with its medium body, herbal and red cherry aromatics, and overall savory profile, is also delicious with this saucy pasta dish. Choose a Rioja Crianza for more fresh fruit flavors, or a Rioja Reserva for more earthy, smoky or oak-induced aromas.
New World Wine Pairing: Napa Valley Merlot
Due to the acidity of tomato-based sauces, the default pairing is a dry, old world-style wine. However, if you prefer the riper, more fruit-forward nature of new world wines, there are ways you can tailor the lasagna recipe to match. Consider a Napa Valley Merlot.
Merlot’s jammy, plummy dark fruit, soft tannins, and herbal notes are delicious with the ground beef and sausage. However, it does not have the high, mouthwatering acidity of a Sangiovese. To prevent it fading against a more acidic tomato sauce, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to the tomato sauce as it simmers. With the extra sweetess, the dish will better match the lush dark fruit of warmer-climate Merlot.
The Great Debate: Homemade vs. Store-Bought Lasagna
Yes, lasagna is no 30-minute dinner. You’ll spend a few hours simmering the meat sauce, cooking the pasta, assembling the lasagna, and baking it. But rest assured, none of these steps are difficult or complicated.
We promise – a homemade lasagna is worth every moment of the effort. Store-bought and frozen lasagnas often skimp on the meat and fillings, leaving you with something more like layered pasta with some tomato sauce and cheese. Also, they tend to be too small for a crowd. Our recipe (below) is filled to the brim with hearty meat sauce and tomatoes. Each bite is generous and flavorful.
Pressed for time? You can prep the meat sauce, cook the noodles, and even assemble the lasagna in advance. At the time (or day) of dining, you will have nothing more to do than heat it in the oven before enjoying.
Easy Lasagna and Wine Pairing
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb italian sausage
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 28 oz crushed tomato
- 14 oz tomato sauce
- 2 cans tomato paste
Noodles and Cheese Filling
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 2 eggs
- 16 oz ricotta (whole milk or part-skim are both fine)
- Grated mozzarella to taste, likely about 3 cups
- Parmesan cheese to taste, likely about 1 cup
Instructions
- Saute onions until golden and soft. Then, add ground beef, sausage, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute until browned. Next, add tomato sauce, paste, crushed tomato, half of the parsley, and italian seasoning. Simmer on low heat for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom is not burnt. If you feel the mixture is drying out, you can add a half cup of water, but I didn’t feel this was necessary.
- While the sauce is simmering, boil lasagna noodles in a large pot of lightly salted water. When the noodles have reached an al dente texture (usually 8-10 minutes of boiling), remove from heat and rinse with cold water so that they don’t overcook and stick together.
- Mix eggs, ricotta, half teaspoon salt, and remaining parsley.
- Preheat oven to 375F. In a 9x13 inch baking dish or pan, layer ingredients in the following order: approximately a ½” layer of meat sauce, three noodles, ricotta mix, enough shredded mozzarella to cover the noodles, and a light dusting of parmesan. Repeat until you have a lasagna with four layers total (three noodles wide). By the top layer, you likely will not have any meat sauce left and can just give it another sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover in foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until top is slightly golden but not dried out.
- Enjoy with a Sangiovese!
Enjoyed this lasagna and wine pairing? Check out our other easy wine pairings with your favorite comfort foods here:
