Description
Hearty classic lasagna celebrates layers of rich Italian tradition with savory beef, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella. Generous portions invite comfort and satisfaction for family gatherings and weekend meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.5 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 3 cups (750 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.75 cup (180 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 48 oz spaghetti sauce
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsps dried parsley
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp ground pepper
- 0.25 cup (60 ml) water (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Meat Sauce: Brown ground beef and sausage in a skillet over medium heat, draining excess fat. Add minced garlic and spaghetti sauce, simmering for 5 minutes to develop rich flavors.
- Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, blend ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Initial Layering: Spread a thin sauce base in the baking pan, then arrange the first layer of uncooked lasagna noodles to completely cover the sauce.
- Cheese and Sauce Distribution: Layer one-third of the cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by a quarter of the meat sauce. Repeat this process twice, building intricate flavor layers.
- Final Topping: Complete the lasagna with a final noodle sheet, topped with remaining sauce, reserved mozzarella, and Parmesan. If sauce appears dense, add water around the dish’s edges to maintain moisture.
- Baking Process: Cover with lightly sprayed aluminum foil and bake at the specified temperature for 50 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the top turns golden and slightly crisp.
- Serving Preparation: Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and the structure to set before serving.
Notes
- Meat Selection: Choose a mix of ground beef and sausage for deeper, more complex flavor profiles that elevate traditional lasagna.
- Moisture Management: Add a small amount of water around dish edges if sauce seems too thick, preventing dry or burnt edges during baking.
- Cheese Mixing Technique: Blend cheese ingredients thoroughly but gently to ensure even distribution without overmixing, which can create a dense texture.
- Resting Period: Let lasagna sit for 10 minutes after baking to allow layers to set and flavors to fully integrate, ensuring cleaner slices and enhanced taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg