The Best Lasagna
A timeless comfort dish layered with rich meat sauce, creamy cheese, and pasta, perfect for family dinners and gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
- ¾ pound ground beef (extra lean)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 6 ounce tomato paste (1 can)
- 8 ounce tomato sauce
- ½ cup water (if needed)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 leaves basil (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
For the Cheese Mixture
- 16 ounce ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
For the Lasagna
- 12 pieces lasagna noodles (oven ready)
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese (fresh, grated)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Brown the sausage, beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meats are fully cooked.
- Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the Cheese Mixture
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, and parsley together.
Assemble the Lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spread about 1½ cups of the meat sauce in the bottom of your lasagna dish.
- Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce, then spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Add ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese, then another 1½ cups of meat mixture, followed by ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, finishing with mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
Bake the Lasagna
- Cover the lasagna with foil. Spray the side of the foil facing the lasagna with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
For serving, cut the lasagna into squares and serve it warm. It's great on its own or with a simple salad and some garlic bread. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For long-term storage, freeze slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil for up to three months.