Laosagna (Lao-Style Lasagna)
It's time to make a Laosagna, a delicious fusion of Lao flavors and Italian comfort food! This unique take on lasagna swaps traditional pasta for homemade rice sheets and layers a rich, savory pork sauce with a creamy tofu-coconut white sauce. Infused with aromatic ingredients like lime leaves, jeow bong, and tua nao, this dish brings a bold and umami-packed experience to your table. Finished with melted mozzarella and fresh herbs, it’s a comforting yet exciting dish perfect for family dinners or special occasions. Try this easy, gluten-free Laosagna recipe and elevate your next meal with a taste of Laos!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Korean pepper powder (or paprika)
- 1.25 pound ground pork
- 4 large round tomatoes, diced
- 2 makrut lime leaves, minced
- 2 bird’s eye chili peppers, minced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons jeow bong
- 14 ounces soft tofu, drained and chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tua nao (or Southeast Asian fermented beans)
- 3 cups tapioca flour
- 3 cups jasmine rice flour
- 2¼ cups boiling water
- 4-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 2 green onions, minced
- Cilantro
Instructions
- 1
Make the meat sauce: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and Korean pepper powder for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground pork and cook for about 4–5 minutes until fully browned. Stir in the diced tomatoes, lime leaves, and minced bird’s eye chili, mixing well. Cover and lower the heat to medium, letting it cook for 5 minutes. Season with fish sauce and jeow bong and mix well, then reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 6 to 8 more minutes. Set aside.
- 2
Blend the white sauce: Blend the soft tofu, coconut milk, and tua nao in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- 3
Prepare the rice sheets: Combine the tapioca flour and jasmine rice flour in a large mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly. Carefully pour in the boiling water and mix with a spoon until it’s cool enough to touch. Knead the dough until it forms a firm, cohesive ball. Divide it into 12 equal pieces (about 105g each). Roll each piece into a cylinder, then flatten with a rolling pin into a sheet roughly 13 inches long by 3 inches wide. Trim any rough edges. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook each rice sheet for 1 minute, then set aside.
- 4
Assemble the Laosagna: Use a 13x9-inch baking pan and layer the ingredients as follows: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly across the bottom. Place 3 rice sheets over the sauce. Spread ½ cup of white sauce on top. Add another 1 cup of meat sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and a handful of minced green onions. Repeat the layering process twice more: rice sheets, white sauce, meat sauce, mozzarella, and green onions. For the final layer, add 3 rice sheets, white sauce, meat sauce, green onions then top generously with 3 cups of mozzarella cheese.
- 5
Bake the Laosagna: Cover the dish with foil (sprayed with oil to prevent sticking) and place in the middle rack of an oven preheated to 375°F. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!