lasagna

lasagna — noun

1. broad flat rectangular sheets of pasta, typically with wavy edges, used in Itali

1.nounA2
Definition

broad flat rectangular sheets of pasta, typically with wavy edges, used in Italian baked dishes

Example

The chef layered the lasagna sheets with ricotta and spinach before baking.

collocation: lasagna sheets

Stephanie boiled the lasagna noodles for eight minutes until they were tender.

collocation: lasagna noodles

Common collocations
  • lasagna sheets
  • lasagna noodles
  • dried lasagna
  • fresh lasagna
  • no-boil lasagna
  • layered lasagna
Synonyms
  • lasagne

    British spelling of the same pasta

  • pasta sheets

    generic descriptive term, less specific to lasagna

Grammar Patterns

lasagna sheets / lasagna noodles / lasagna pasta

Usage Note

In British English the spelling 'lasagne' is often used for the pasta sheets. The pasta is also sold as 'no-boil' or 'oven-ready' sheets that do not need to be cooked before assembling the dish.

Common Mistakes

I bought three lasagnas from the store.
I bought three boxes of lasagna from the store.
'lasagna' is uncountable when referring to the pasta; use a unit word to count it.

2. an Italian baked dish made by stacking layers of lasagna pasta with cheese, toma

2.nounA2
Definition

an Italian baked dish made by stacking layers of lasagna pasta with cheese, tomato or white sauce, and often meat or vegetables

Example

Ramón brought a huge tray of homemade lasagna to the family dinner on Sunday.

collocation: homemade lasagna

The restaurant's vegetarian lasagna comes with layers of grilled eggplant and zucchini.

collocation: vegetarian lasagna

Common collocations
  • homemade lasagna
  • vegetarian lasagna
  • meat lasagna
  • baked lasagna
  • cheesy lasagna
  • a tray of lasagna
  • a piece of lasagna
Synonyms
  • lasagne

    British spelling of the same dish

  • pasta bake

    a broader category of similar baked pasta dishes, not specific to lasagna

Grammar Patterns

lasagna + with [ingredients]

make/bake/have + lasagna

Usage Note

The dish can be used as an uncountable noun ('We had lasagna for dinner') or a countable noun when referring to individual dishes ('She baked two lasagnas for the party'). The British variant spelling 'lasagne' is common in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Common Mistakes

I ate a lasagna noodle for lunch.
I ate a piece of lasagna for lunch.
'lasagna' as a dish cannot refer to a single noodle; it describes the whole layered meal.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

While 'lasagna' (American) and 'lasagne' (British) refer to the same layered dish made with broad pasta sheets, 'pasta bake' is a broader term for any oven-baked pasta casserole, not limited to lasagna's specific structure. 'Baked ziti' is a similar Italian-American dish that uses tubular ziti pasta instead of flat sheets and typically features ricotta and mozzarella without the white sauce layers found in some lasagna recipes. For example, a restaurant menu might list 'baked ziti' alongside 'lasagna' — both are baked, but the pasta shape and layering differ.

lasagna ↗lasagne ↗pasta bakebaked ziti

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a tray of lasagna
  • a piece of lasagna
  • a slice of lasagna
  • layers of lasagna

Etymology

GreekLatinItalianEnglish

Borrowed from Italian 'lasagna' (singular) or 'lasagne' (plural), which comes from Latin 'lasanum' meaning 'cooking pot', ultimately from Ancient Greek 'lásanon' (λάσανον), a trivet or pot stand. The meaning shifted from the cooking vessel to the food cooked in it, and later to the pasta sheets themselves.