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Simple Recipes for Every Day

Classic Lasagna Recipe

a pan of classic lasagna made with meat sauce, mozzarella, Parm, ricotta, and al dente lasagna noodles
  • Serves:  12
  • Prep Time:  30 min
  • Cook Time:  1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried lasagna noodles
  • 1 pound ground beef, (we also like a mix of ½ beef and ½ mild italian sausage)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling on top
  • ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil, minced (optional)
  • 6 cups grated mozzarella

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse, and separate any noodles that are stuck together.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onions, and garlic and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions are softened, about 8 minutes.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste until combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the ricotta, egg, ¾ cup Parmesan, basil, if using, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  6. Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch (3-inch deep) baking dish. Top the sauce with a single layer of noodles.
  7. Top with 1½ cups sauce and spread out over the noodles. Dollop the sauce with ¼ of the ricotta mixture and lightly spread over the sauce with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with 1¼ cups mozzarella. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times with the remaining ingredients. Layer with the last of the noodles, pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup remaining Parmesan.
  8. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on top of a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.
  10. Let cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.