Here’s a classic, rich Lasagna recipe with layers of pasta, meat, cheese, and savory tomato sauce:
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
For the meat sauce:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz / 170 g) tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the cheese mixture:
- 15 oz (425 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried parsley or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Other ingredients:
- 9–12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the meat sauce:
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef or sausage with onion and garlic until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15–20 minutes.
- Prepare the cheese mixture:
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
- Assemble the lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Layer 3–4 lasagna noodles over the sauce.
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over noodles.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over the ricotta.
- Repeat layers twice more, ending with meat sauce and remaining mozzarella on top.
- Bake:
- Cover with foil (tent to prevent sticking) and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest and serve:
- Let lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This helps it hold together when serving.
Tips
- For extra flavor, add a splash of red wine to the meat sauce while simmering.
- You can substitute half the ricotta with cottage cheese for a lighter version.
- Add sautéed spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini for a vegetable boost.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
If you want, I can also give a quick stovetop lasagna version that takes about 30–35 minutes and skips pre-boiling the noodles—perfect for weeknight dinners. Do you want that one?
