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–+ servings

Classic Lasagna

Layla @ Poppy Trail Table
My go-to lasagna recipe for years.  This homemade meat sauce is so rich and flavorful!  Layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce baked to bubbly perfection!  A family and crowd pleaser every time. 
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 servings
Calories 689 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 9 to 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced or shredded
  • 8 ounces grated parmesan cheese

For Meat Sauce

  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 28- ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes crushed or pureed
  • 12 ounces tomato paste
  • 28 ounces water or broth
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seed
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flake
  • salt & black pepper to taste

Cheese Mixture

  • 16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley or basil chopped (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a large Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef with onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth (or water), sugar, basil, red pepper flake, fennel seed, Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper. Simmer on low for 1.5 hours, or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors develop.
  • Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, undercooking the noodles less 2 minutes from the minimum suggested cook time. The noodles will continue to cook in the oven. *See Notes for more information.
  • In a small bowl combine the ricotta mixture: ricotta cheese, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and parsley or basil.

To assemble, make layers as follows:

  • 1 cup meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish
  • Lay 3 to 4 (I prefer 4) precooked noodles next to one another, slightly overlapping
  • ⅓ of the meat sauce
  • 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese
  • Another layer of 3 to 4 noodles
  • ⅓ of the sauce, ricotta cheese mixture, 4 ounces of parmesan
  • Repeat the layer of noodles
  • ⅓ of the sauce
  • 8 ounces mozzarella, 4 ounces parmesan
  • Bake at 375 for 45 minutes covered with aluminum foil, then 15 minutes uncovered until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • Rinse noodles in cold water after straining to stop the cooking process and make them easy to handle. 
  • Noodle hack: Don't boil the noodles at all! Instead, put sheets of lasagna noodles in a 9×13 pan and cover them in hot water. Let them soak for 30 minutes. When you remove them they will be pliable and will cook the rest of the way in the oven.
  • Parm rind if you grate your own parmesan and save those rinds in the freezer for something down the road, this is the time to use it! Toss a parm rind into your sauce as it simmers. It will melt into your sauce for an extra layer of flavor.
  • Variations are so easy with pasta. Add spinach, mushrooms or zucchini to your layers. Substitute cottage cheese for ricotta! That’s the way I grew up eating lasagna because ricotta wasn’t a common thing in rural small-town grocery stores yet. Puree the cottage cheese to a smooth texture or leave it in curds.
  • Spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray or a spray oil so the cheese won’t stick to the foil when it is removed for the final stage of baking.
  • Let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven. The cheese will run if you slice it immediately.
  • If you are not going to bake it immediately, let the sauce cool before assembling the lasagna to prevent the cheese from beginning to melt.
  • Freezing: To freeze it, allow the lasagna to unthaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. Add 15 minutes to the covered baking time.
  • Refrigerated: Add 15 minutes to the covered baking time if putting a cold lasagna in the oven.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Slice, wrap and freeze individual servings for quick meals. Wrap first in plastic wrap, then in freezer bags.

Nutrition

Calories: 689kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 44gFat: 34gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 1075mgPotassium: 924mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11g
Nutrition Facts
Classic Lasagna
Amount per Serving
Calories
689
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
34
g
52
%
Cholesterol
 
192
mg
64
%
Sodium
 
1075
mg
47
%
Potassium
 
924
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
 
53
g
18
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
44
g
88
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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