Classic Lasagna

Comfort Food · 9 Servings · About 1.5 Hours

Lasagna is a project, but the payoff is enormous — a bubbling pan of layered pasta, slow-simmered meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and stretchy melted mozzarella. But the payoff is enormous — a bubbling pan of layered pasta, slow-simmered meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and stretchy melted mozzarella. The combination of ground beef and Italian sausage gives you a more complex, well-seasoned sauce without extra work. And the 15-minute rest before cutting? Non-negotiable.

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Ricotta Filling

• 15 oz (one container) ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Pinch of salt

Assembly

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 12 oz)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles: Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions until just al dente (they'll cook more in the oven). Drain, rinse with cold water, and lay flat on an oiled baking sheet.
2. Make the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together, breaking into small crumbles. Cook until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
3. Add aromatics: Add diced onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds.
4. Simmer: Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Make the ricotta filling: In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, parsley, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread 1/2 cup of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
7. Build the layers: Lay 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, then 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce, then 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat this layering two more times.
8. Top layer: Finish with the last 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
9. Bake covered: Cover tightly with aluminum foil (spray the underside with cooking spray to prevent sticking). Bake 25 minutes.
10. Uncover and brown: Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11. Rest 15 minutes before slicing. This is essential — it lets the layers set so you get clean cuts.

Variations

• Vegetable lasagna: Replace meat with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, and roasted red peppers. Add a béchamel sauce layer.
• White lasagna: Skip the tomato sauce entirely. Layer with béchamel, ricotta, sautéed chicken, spinach, and mozzarella.
• Sausage and fennel: Use all Italian sausage and add 1 tsp fennel seeds to the sauce for a more distinctly Italian flavor.
• Mexican lasagna: Use flour tortillas, seasoned ground beef, black beans, enchilada sauce, and pepper jack cheese.

Nutrition

Per serving (1/9 of pan):