lasagna

American  

[luh-zahn-yuh, lah-] / ləˈzɑn jə, lɑ- /

Or lasagne

noun

1. large, flat, rectangular strips of pasta.

2. a baked dish consisting of layers of this pasta, cheese, tomato sauce, and usually meat.

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Etymology

Origin of lasagna

1840–50; < Italian < Vulgar Latin *lasania cooking pot (hence, apparently, the contents of the pot), for Latin lasanum, lasanus chamber pot < Greek lásana (plural), originally, trivet or stand for a pot

Explanation

If you want to be the star of the potluck, bring a big pan of lasagna. Layers of tender noodles, savory red sauce, creamy ricotta, and melty mozzarella will tempt almost everyone. Lasagna is the name for both a type of wide, flat pasta and the delicious dish you make by layering that pasta with other ingredients and baking. This Italian word can also be spelled lasagne, which is actually its plural form. The earliest known lasagna recipe dates from the 1500s, when historians describe it being made from fermented dough, spices, and cheese.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lasagna

“Well, you could add it to your makeshift lasagna, for health and longevity.”

From Slate ● May 6, 2026

“People tend to think that lasagna is simple, but it’s actually a bit more complicated than the braised short ribs,” Matijevich says.

From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2026

I tell this story not to cast shade on lasagna — or on those who lovingly bake and bring it.

From Salon ● Jan. 19, 2026

And then there’s a lasagna that’s just, like, full-on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

Through the door he saw the bus tubs, full of plates, many of them with nearly full portions of lasagna on them!

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• gnocchi
• linguine
• macaroni
• ravioli
• spaghetti
• tortellini