Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Lasagna
A 9x13 pan of slow simmered sausage and beef sauce layered with ricotta, sliced mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Equipment
- 9x13 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 9x13 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.
Notes
Substitutions: Use all beef or all sausage if you prefer. No salt added tomatoes keep sodium lower.
Tips: Keep the simmer at tiny bubbles and stir every 15 minutes. The sauce can be made 2 days ahead.
Storage: Refrigerate 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165 degrees F. Freeze wrapped baked squares up to 3 months.