This slow simmered meat sauce lasagna starts with a rich sauce of sweet Italian sausage and ground beef that cooks for 90 minutes before it meets the noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella. Plan on about 3 hours 15 minutes from start to finish.

Expect a deep, sweet savory flavor that a quick sauce cannot match. It makes a 9×13 pan with 12 big squares, which is ideal for a Sunday dinner or a freezer stash.

Why This Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna Recipe Works

A long, low simmer breaks the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes down into a sauce that is thick, glossy, and naturally sweet. It also lets the sausage and beef flavor spread through the whole pot.

Layers of sliced mozzarella, ricotta with parsley, and Parmesan stay distinct instead of blending into one cheesy mass, so each square has stripes of flavor.

A measured half teaspoon of salt, no salt added tomatoes, and 90 minutes of reduction keep the sauce rich without turning heavy on sodium, since the sausage and cheeses carry plenty already.

Ingredients for Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, no salt added
2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
2 cans (6.5 oz each) tomato sauce, no salt added
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
12 lasagna noodles
16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
12 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Sausage and beef. Brown them together in a Dutch oven until deeply browned. The browned bits on the bottom dissolve into the sauce and give it its savory base.

Tomato paste. Two small cans thicken the sauce and add concentrated tomato flavor. Stir them in well so no streaks remain.

Sliced mozzarella. Slices melt into even sheets between the layers, which makes cleaner squares than a pile of shreds.

Noodles. Boil them until pliable but still firm, then lay them flat so they are easy to layer.

How to Make Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

1. Brown the meat. Cook the sausage and beef in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.

2. Soften the onion. Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.

3. Build the sauce. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of parsley.

4. Simmer low and slow. Turn the heat to low, partly cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sauce mounds on a spoon.

5. Boil the noodles. Near the end of the simmer, cook the noodles until pliable, drain, and lay them flat.

6. Mix the ricotta. Stir the ricotta, egg, and remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley together until smooth.

7. Start the pan. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the bottom of a 9×13 inch dish.

8. Layer. Cover the sauce with 6 noodles, spread on half the ricotta, add a third of the mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups of sauce, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Repeat with 6 noodles and the remaining ricotta. Finish with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

9. Bake. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 minutes more, until bubbling and golden with the center at 165 degrees F.

10. Rest. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

How to Serve Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

Cut into 12 squares and serve with extra sauce. Garlic bread slices are a classic partner, air fryer asparagus and air fryer broccoli with Parmesan add something green, and easy green bean casserole suits a seasonal style spread.

How to Store and Reheat Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

Cool the lasagna within 2 hours, cut it into portions, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or microwave until it reaches 165 degrees F. Wrapped baked squares freeze for up to 3 months, and the sauce alone freezes for the same time.

Tips and Variations for Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

Brown the meat deeply. Deep color on the beef and sausage is where most of the flavor comes from, so let it sit before stirring.

Keep the simmer low. Tiny bubbles are enough. A hard boil spatters and scorches the paste on the bottom of the pot.

Partly cover the pot. A lid set slightly ajar lets the sauce thicken without drying out.

Make the sauce ahead. The sauce tastes even better a day later, so cook it one day and assemble the next.

Skim the fat. Spoon off any oil that rises to the top of the sauce before layering.

Use sliced cheese. Thin slices cover the layer evenly and melt into clean sheets.

Rest the pan. Ten minutes out of the oven makes the difference between neat squares and a messy slide.

Chill leftovers promptly. The Texas A&M Fight BAC guide covers cleaning, cooking, and chilling food safely.

Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

Why simmer the sauce for 90 minutes in slow simmered meat sauce lasagna?

A long simmer concentrates the tomatoes, softens their acid, and blends the meat flavors into the sauce. A short simmer gives a thinner, brighter sauce.

Can I make slow simmered meat sauce lasagna ahead of time?

Yes. Make the sauce up to 2 days ahead, or assemble the whole pan and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 minutes to the covered bake.

How do I freeze slow simmered meat sauce lasagna?

Bake it, cool it completely, cut it into squares, and wrap each tightly. Freeze up to 3 months, thaw overnight, and reheat to 165 degrees F.

Can I shorten the simmer?

You can go as low as 45 minutes, and the lasagna will still be good. The sauce will taste brighter and less deep.

Why use sliced mozzarella?

Slices cover each layer evenly and melt into clean sheets. Shredded mozzarella works if you press it into an even layer.

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Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna

A 9×13 pan of slow simmered sausage and beef sauce layered with ricotta, sliced mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2 45

Total Time 3 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

9×13 inch baking dish
Dutch oven
Large pot
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

1 lb sweet Italian sausage casings removed
¾ lb lean ground beef
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic crushed
28 oz crushed tomatoes no salt added, 1 can
12 oz tomato paste 2 cans, 6 oz each
13 oz tomato sauce no salt added, 2 cans, 6.5 oz each
2 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, divided
12 lasagna noodles boiled until pliable
16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
12 oz mozzarella cheese sliced
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

Cooking

Brown. Cook the sausage and beef 8 to 10 minutes until browned and no pink remains; drain the fat. Add aromatics. Cook the onion 4 to 5 minutes, then the garlic 30 seconds.
Combine. Stir in the tomatoes, paste, sauce, sugar, herbs, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp parsley. Simmer. Partly cover and simmer on low 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Prep. Boil and drain the noodles; stir the ricotta, egg, and remaining parsley together.
Assemble. Set the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce in a 9×13 dish and build two layers of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, sauce, and Parmesan, finishing with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Bake. Cover and bake 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 25 minutes until bubbling and 165 degrees F in the center.
Rest. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.