I Tried Dave Grohl’s Famous Lasagna Recipe to See If It’s as Legendary as He Is

These two things I know to be true: My husband’s favorite food is lasagna, and Dave Grohl is a legend. How are these two things related? Normally, I would say they’re not. Not even a little bit. But when I heard that Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters makes a legendary lasagna, I knew I had to try it. For my husband, sure, but also because I had to find out if Grohl’s version of the classic baked pasta was truly as legendary as he is.

I’m old enough to remember the early '90s. My closet was packed with a collection of hideous flannel shirts, baggy, worn-out jeans, and thrift store t-shirts. The grunge music blared from my boombox, driving my mom crazy. Nirvana was played at every party, and Dave Grohl drummed his way into my heart. Unfortunately, Nirvana’s days were cut short, but Dave Grohl kept going, starting his own band, the Foo Fighters, back in 1994. I’ve been a fan ever since. 

Besides his talent as a singer and drummer, I’ve learned that Grohl also has a knack for comedy (he’s appeared on SNL over a dozen times, both performing and appearing in skits), and he’s pretty good in the kitchen, too. His most notable dish, he said in an interview with Food Network back in 2022, is his “Badass Lasagna,” a dish he learned from a family friend. He now makes it for his family, and I’m assuming it’s what he’s screaming about in a recent ad for Sirius XM.

Making Dave Grohl's Famous Lasagna

Making Grohl’s lasagna isn’t complicated, but it requires some prep and time. It starts with cooking onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in some oil and butter. Next, add ground meat and cook until it’s browned. Tomato paste and marinara are added next, followed by a healthy 1 1/2 cups of red wine. Once that’s mostly cooked off, add broth and let everything simmer for 2 hours to maximize the flavor. The sauce is layered in a baking dish with cheese and no-boil lasagna noodles, and after 35 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), you'll have one gorgeous-looking lasagna. But how does it taste?

How Does Dave Grohl's Lasagna Taste?

I knew by the heavenly scent coming from my oven as it cooked that it would be delicious. Tasting it confirmed this. My family and I loved the rich flavor of the sauce, which tasted almost sweet after that two-hour simmer. Plenty of meat and cheese was in every bite, and we all agreed that it tasted as good as the lasagna from our local Italian restaurant. Unlike other lasagna recipes, Grohl’s has no ricotta and very little pasta (only six sheets of the no-boil stuff), but that didn’t bother any of us. We all agreed it was a tasty lasagna.

Was it tasty enough for me to make again? While it took longer than expected to prepare, I think the extra effort and time was worth it. It was flavorful and satisfying, and everyone loved it. I don’t imagine I’d attempt to make it on a weeknight, but it would be a great choice for a special occasion. Grohl’s lasagna is good, but legendary? Only time will tell!