Classic Homemade Lasagna: A Family Favorite

August 1, 2024
No Comments

Here’s a classic recipe for lasagna:

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt to taste

For the Ricotta Mixture:

  • 32 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

For Assembly:

  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prepare the Meat Sauce:

  1. In a large pot, cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, and chopped onion over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
  4. Add sugar, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir well to combine.
  5. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the Ricotta Mixture:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.

Cook the Lasagna Noodles:

  1. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Assemble the Lasagna:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  3. Place 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce.
  4. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
  5. Sprinkle 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture.
  6. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese.
  7. Repeat layers twice more, ending with a layer of meat sauce.
  8. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake the Lasagna:

  1. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (to prevent sticking, you can spray the foil with a little cooking spray).
  2. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  4. Let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your homemade lasagna!