Description
This Absolute Best Ever Lasagna recipe features a rich, flavorful meat sauce layered with a creamy ricotta mixture and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfectly baked to a golden bubbly finish, this classic Italian-American dish is an ideal crowd-pleaser for family dinners or special occasions, yielding 12 hearty servings.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage or 1/2 lb ground veal
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped (or canned chopped tomatoes)
- 12 ounces tomato paste
Cheese Mixture
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese, divided (1/2 lb for mixture, 1/2 lb for topping)
Others
- 12-15 lasagna noodles
- Cooking spray (for pan)
Instructions
- Brown Meat: In a large skillet or pan, brown the ground beef, Italian sausage (or veal), chopped onion, and minced garlic over medium heat until meat is fully cooked and onions are translucent.
- Season and Simmer: Add salt, black pepper, dried parsley, oregano, basil, chopped canned tomatoes with their juice, and tomato paste. Stir everything well to combine.
- Simmer Sauce: Cover the pan and let the sauce simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You can simmer longer for deeper flavor but watch to prevent the sauce from drying out.
- Cook Noodles: Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Cheese Filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten eggs, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese (1/2 lb). Mix well.
- Layer Lasagna: Begin layering in the pan: start with a layer of cooked noodles, then spread some meat sauce on top, followed by a layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers until ingredients are used up.
- Top Layer and Cheese: Finish with a final layer of noodles. Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese (1/2 lb) over the top layer to completely cover the noodles.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is thoroughly melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Rest and Serve: Let the baked lasagna sit for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving. This resting time helps the layers set and makes serving easier.
Notes
- You can substitute Italian sausage with ground veal or add a mix of both meats for richer flavor.
- Adjust seasoning in the meat sauce to your taste—feel free to add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste too acidic.
- Use no-boil lasagna noodles as a shortcut, but increase the sauce slightly to ensure proper cooking.
- For a vegetarian version, omit meat and use vegetables like mushrooms and zucchini in the sauce.
- Covering the lasagna with foil during the first part of baking prevents the cheese from burning while thoroughly heating the layers.
- Letting the lasagna rest after baking helps the layers set and improves slicing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
