🍝 Lasagna
Lasagna is a classic Italian baked pasta dish made with layers of pasta sheets, meat or vegetable filling, tomato sauce, and cheese. It’s hearty, comforting, and perfect for family dinners.
📝 Classic Meat Lasagna Recipe (Serves 6–8)
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Mixture
- 15 oz (425 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1–2 tsp Italian seasoning
Other Ingredients
- 9–12 lasagna noodles (uncooked or boiled as per package)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Meat Sauce
- In a skillet, cook ground beef or sausage with onion and garlic until browned.
- Drain excess fat.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes.
2️⃣ Prepare Cheese Mixture
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning.
3️⃣ Assemble Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Layer noodles over sauce.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture over noodles.
- Sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella.
- Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with meat sauce and mozzarella on top.
4️⃣ Bake
- Cover with foil (avoid touching cheese) and bake 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.
🔥 Tips
- Use no-boil noodles for convenience.
- Add sautéed vegetables (spinach, zucchini, mushrooms) for a veggie version.
- For extra flavor, mix some mozzarella into the ricotta layer.
- Cover edges with foil while baking to prevent burning.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Garlic bread or breadsticks
- Fresh green salad or Caesar salad
- Steamed or roasted vegetables
I can also give a vegetarian lasagna with roasted vegetables and béchamel sauce or a classic spinach and ricotta lasagna if you want a lighter version.
Do you want me to provide one of those variations?
