Description
Layers of rich, savory homemade lasagna promise a culinary journey through Italian comfort food. Melted cheese, hearty meat sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta create a delightful experience you’ll savor with every delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 0.5 pounds (226 grams) sweet Italian sausage
- 0.5 pounds (226 grams) lean ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato Products:
- 1 (28 ounces/794 grams) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6 ounces/170 grams) can tomato paste
Cheese:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta:
- 12 lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Prepare the robust meat sauce by browning ground beef and Italian sausage with aromatic onions and garlic in a large skillet. Crumble the meat thoroughly during cooking and drain excess fat.
- Enhance the sauce with crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Season generously with parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered, developing deep flavors for approximately 90 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Simultaneously, boil a pot of salted water and cook lasagna noodles until perfectly tender. Drain and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Craft the creamy cheese mixture by whisking ricotta with egg, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and begin layering the lasagna. Create a thin sauce base in a 9×13-inch baking dish, then strategically layer noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the layering process three times, ensuring each layer is evenly distributed and ending with a generous topping of meat sauce and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese turns golden and slightly bubbling.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes after baking, which helps the layers stabilize and makes cutting and serving more manageable.
Notes
- Select high-quality ground beef and Italian sausage for richer, more complex flavor profiles that elevate the entire dish.
- Allow meat sauce to simmer slowly, developing deeper taste by breaking down tomatoes and melding spices together perfectly.
- Slightly undercook lasagna noodles during boiling since they’ll continue cooking in the oven, preventing mushy texture and maintaining ideal al dente consistency.
- Layer ingredients evenly to ensure balanced taste and texture in every single bite, distributing cheese and sauce carefully across each layer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg