For Better Lasagna, Add A Pinch Of This Pantry Staple (Just Trust Us)

Among the pantry staples that can add dynamic flavor to a classic lasagna recipe, today, we're not talking about toasted fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, or even some real Italian seasoning (though these are often worthwhile additions). Many folks would be more likely to add this spice to desserts, but a pinch of nutmeg can also overhaul your lasagna. Just ask Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., chef and owner of Jasper's Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, and host of Live! From Jasper's Restaurant.

Now, chef Mirabile doesn't sprinkle ground nutmeg into every single lasagna recipe, especially not styles with lots of ricotta and an acidic tomato sauce. "The only time I ever add nutmeg to my lasagna is when I prepare a traditional Tuscan lasagna with a béchamel sauce," he told The Takeout. "And I only put the nutmeg in the sauce itself, but some cooks like to season their ground beef or pork with it."

Béchamel — which is made by thickening milk with a lightly cooked butter and flour roux — is one of the five mother sauces of French cooking. The Italian version is called besciamella, and in addition to salt and pepper, the cream sauce often has a bit of nutmeg too. In a Tuscan lasagna, the nutmeg-scented béchamel sauce is paired with a slow-cooked ragu featuring ground beef and pork (and sometimes veal and chicken livers), as well as onions, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh herbs, and a moderate amount of tinned tomatoes and tomato paste.

The combination of besciamella and a long-simmered, vegetable-rich meat sauce in a Tuscan lasagna is rich, creamy, and comforting. Whether you decide to add the nutmeg to the ragu or cream sauce, it adds an underlying note that ties the whole dish together. "The flavor always reminds me of an earthy taste, sometimes a little sweet," chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. said of béchamel with the addition of nutmeg, adding that the profile is especially delicious during the colder months of the year.

Nutmeg's warming sweetness, naturally, doesn't pair so well with a lighter, brighter tomato sauce and fresh ricotta cheese, which is why you should only add it to lasagnas with béchamel filling. However, it's a pungent spice, so you really don't need a whole lot. "I only add less than ¼ of a teaspoon to every quart of béchamel sauce at the end of cooking the sauce," chef Mirabile advised.

It's also really important to use freshly grated nutmeg over the pre-ground stuff. When you finely grate whole nutmeg seeds using a microplane, the spice is intensely fragrant, mildly sweet, and bright yet earthy. Nutmeg that has already been ground down very quickly loses its unique flavor.