Ingredients (~8 servings)
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 lb beef + 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 (28-oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
Cheese Mixture
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (plus extra for topping)
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil, minced (optional)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Assembly
- 12 oz dried lasagna noodles
- ~5 cups shredded mozzarella
Cook the Lasagna Noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the noodles.
Cook until al dente, ~8 minutes – they’ll finish cooking in the oven so don’t go longer.
Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking; separate any noodles that stick together.
Make the Meat Sauce
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, onions, and garlic.
Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions are softened, ~8 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste until combined, ~1 minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and sugar; bring to a simmer.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the sauce thickens, ~15-20 minutes.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and not be watery.
Mix the Ricotta Filling
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper.
Mix until smooth – this will be easier to spread if it’s well combined.
Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat your oven to 375F and grab a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the dish, then lay down a single layer of noodles.
Top with 1 1/2 cups sauce, spread it out, then dollop 1/4 of the ricotta mixture over the sauce.
Lightly spread the ricotta with the back of a spoon – don’t worry about making it perfect.
Sprinkle with ~1 1/4 cups mozzarella, then add another layer of noodles.
Repeat this layering process 3 more times: sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, noodles.
For the final layer, add the remaining noodles, pour the rest of the sauce on top, and finish with the remaining mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
Bake Until Bubbly
Cover loosely with foil and place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflow.
Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
The cheese should be lightly browned and the sauce should be bubbling around the edges.
Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting – this helps it hold together when you serve it.
The first piece is always a mess, but after that it should slice cleanly.
Homemade Lasagna
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb beef + 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes 28-oz
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
Cheese Mixture
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan plus extra for topping
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil optional, minced
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Assembly
- 12 oz dried lasagna noodles
- ~5 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Brown ground beef, onions, and garlic in skillet over medium-high heat for 8 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, seasonings; simmer covered 15-20 minutes.
- Boil lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain and rinse.
- Mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Layer in 9×13 dish: sauce, noodles, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella. Repeat 3 times.
- Top final layer with remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil, bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover, bake additional 20 minutes until cheese browns and sauce bubbles.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
