Best Homemade Lasagna
This classic Italian dish features layers of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ lb lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
- 2 6.5 oz cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil leaves
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Lasagna Assembly
- 12 pieces pre-cooked lasagna noodles
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 piece egg
- ¾ lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preparation
- In a dutch oven over medium heat, cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, minced onion, and garlic until browned.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and sugar.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in two tablespoons of chopped parsley. Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, remaining two tablespoons of parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Assembly
- Assemble the lasagna in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- First layer: Spread 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce.
- Second layer: Arrange the pre-cooked noodles over the meat sauce to cover.
- Third layer: Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Fourth layer: Top the ricotta with a third of the mozzarella cheese slices.
- Fifth layer: Spoon 1 ½ cups of meat sauce over the mozzarella and sprinkle with ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the layers and finish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Baking
- Cover with aluminum foil (spray the foil with oil spray to prevent sticking) and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
- Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve your lasagna warm alongside a fresh salad and garlic bread. You might want to add some extra Parmesan on top for those who love cheese. If you have leftovers, let the lasagna cool completely, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual portions for later.