Oh, lasagna—the ultimate comfort classic 😋🍝 Layered, cheesy, and totally worth the effort. Here’s a reliable, crowd-pleasing recipe.
🍝 Classic Lasagna
Ingredients (8–10 servings)
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef + Italian sausage mix)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (for layering)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Other
- 9–12 lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
- 2–3 cups shredded mozzarella (for topping)
Directions
- Make the meat sauce
- Brown meat with onion & garlic. Drain fat.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and spices.
- Simmer 20–30 min, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare cheese mixture
- Mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, 2 cups mozzarella, salt & pepper.
- Cook noodles (if not using no-boil)
- Boil according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Assemble the lasagna
- Preheat oven: 375°F (190°C)
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
- Layer noodles (3–4), then cheese mixture, then meat sauce.
- Repeat 2–3 layers, ending with meat sauce on top.
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top.
- Bake
- Cover with foil (to prevent cheese sticking) and bake 25 min.
- Remove foil, bake 20–25 min more until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let stand 10–15 min before slicing (this helps it hold together).
Tips & Twists
- Add spinach or zucchini to the cheese layer for extra veggies.
- Swap mozzarella for provolone or fontina for a richer flavor.
- Use a mix of ricotta + cottage cheese for creamier texture.
If you want, I can give a “ultra-rich restaurant-style” lasagna version with a secret creamy béchamel layer that makes it ridiculously decadent. Do you want that version too?
