Classic Lasagna Recipe

A spatula lifting a slice of lasagna from a baking pan.

4 from 1 vote

This Classic Lasagna recipe has layers of creamy ricotta, a rich and savory homemade meat sauce, and plenty of melty mozzarella and Parmesan. It's baked in a standard 9 x 13-inch pan until golden and bubbly for a hearty, satisfying meal.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 25

Resting Time15

Total Time2

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 580kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

1 pound 90% lean ground beef
½ pound ground Italian sausage I use hot Italian sausage
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon fennel seeds lightly crushed (I just crush with my fingers a little)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes puréed in a food processor or blender
8 ounce can tomato sauce
¼ cup red wine or low-sodium beef broth
¼ cup water
1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar as needed

For the Ricotta Mixture

1 large egg
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Rest

9 uncooked curly lasagna noodles see Notes below
8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded (about 2 cups, packed), divided
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

Make the Meat Sauce

Place a large, deep pan over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and add the beef and sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crumbled and browned. Drain off the grease and return it to MEDIUM heat. Add the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, fennel seed, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, water, and sugar and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over HIGH heat, then reduce the heat to LOW and simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes, while you boil the lasagna noodles. Then, remove from the heat and set aside.

Boil the Noodles

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles 1 minute shy of the package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water until cool enough to handle. Drape the noodles over the edge of the pot so they won’t stick together.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a large sheet of foil on the center rack to catch any spills (* see Notes below).

Combine the Ricotta Mixture

Lightly beat the egg in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, basil, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Assemble the Lasagna

Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish - it will be a thin layer.
Layer 1: Arrange a layer of 3 noodles over the sauce. Top with half of the ricotta filling in small spoonfuls and gently spread it out with the back of the spoon. Spoon about 1¼ cups of the meat sauce over the top. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
Layer 2: Top with another layer of 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta, 1¼ cups meat sauce, and another ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate the remaining shredded cheese for later.
Layer 3: Top with the remaining 3 noodles. Spoon the remaining sauce over the noodles, spreading it out evenly.

Bake the Lasagna

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it on the center rack (on top of the sheet of foil) for 45 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Return it to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the lasagna is bubbling. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

*I have never had this lasagna boil over in the oven, but I recommend placing a sheet of foil on your oven rack, just in case!

Ratio of Noodles to Sauce: I’ve found that using 3 noodles per layer results in the perfect texture for the amount of sauce in this recipe. If you pefer a higher ratio of pasta, you can use 4 noodles per layer, overlapping them slightly to fit in the baking dish.

Storage

Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate leftovers within two hours. Leftover lasagna reheats very well in the microwave and is best if consumed within 3 to 4 days.

Freeze: After adding the final layer of meat sauce, cover the lasagna tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil, then wrap the entire pan in a 2nd layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and bake it according to the recipe directions. You can also freeze an entire baked lasagna or individual slices for easy future meals.

Nutrition