Classic lasagna with meat sauce
Classic lasagna layered with rich beef and sausage meat sauce, creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella. Bakes in a 9x13 pan and slices cleanly.
22% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Cooking
- 1 hr 30 min
- Resting
- 15 min
- Serves
- 12
- Calories
- 500
- Protein
- 32 g
- Per serving
- $2.55
Why this recipe works
This is the Italian-American lasagna of Sunday dinners and potlucks: a hearty beef and Italian sausage sauce, a ricotta layer and plenty of mozzarella. It takes some time, but it feeds twelve, and it's even better made the day before.
- Simmering the meat sauce uncovered for 30 minutes thickens it, so the lasagna holds its layers instead of turning watery.
- Mixing an egg and Parmesan into the ricotta binds it into a creamy layer that stays put when you slice.
- Baking covered first heats the lasagna through without drying the top; uncovering at the end browns the cheese, and a 15-minute rest firms up the layers.
Ingredients
For the meat sauce
For the cheese layer
You will need
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Large pot
- Large deep skillet or Dutch oven
- Aluminum foil
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Brown the meat
In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef and sausage with the onion, breaking it up, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned with no pink left. Spoon off the excess fat, add the garlic and tomato paste and stir 1 minute.
Simmer the sauce
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered on low, stirring now and then, for 30 minutes, until thick.
Cook the noodles and mix the ricotta
Meanwhile, boil the noodles in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package time, then drain and lay them flat on oiled foil. Stir the ricotta, egg, ½ cup of the Parmesan and the parsley together. Heat the oven to 375°F.
Layer
Spread 1 cup of sauce in the baking dish. Layer 4 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, a third of the remaining sauce and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat once. Finish with the last 4 noodles, the rest of the sauce, 2 cups mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
Bake
Cover with foil (tented so it doesn't touch the cheese) and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until bubbling at the edges and browned in spots.
Rest
Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting, so the layers set and slice cleanly.
Techniques in this recipe
- Ground meat and fresh sausage160°F / 71°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guideDark brown: bitter, start over Pale gold, about 30 seconds: fragrant Mince and cook garlic
Crush, peel and rock-chop garlic fine, then cook it only until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Burnt garlic turns bitter and takes the dish with it.
Read the full guideRolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Make ahead: assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the covered time.
- To freeze, wrap the unbaked lasagna well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Using no-boil noodles? Skip boiling, and add ½ cup water to the sauce so they have liquid to absorb.
Nutrition per serving
500 calories
$2.55 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 26% of calories | 32 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 30% of calories | 37 g |
| Fat | 45% of calories | 25 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 1090 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What is the right order to layer lasagna?
Sauce first, so the noodles don't stick, then noodles, ricotta, sauce and mozzarella. Repeat, and finish with noodles, sauce and cheese on top.
Why is my lasagna watery?
The sauce was too thin, or the ricotta was very wet. Simmer the sauce until thick, drain watery ricotta in a sieve for 15 minutes, and let the baked lasagna rest before slicing.
Do I need to boil lasagna noodles?
Regular noodles do need boiling, just until flexible. No-boil noodles can go in dry if the sauce is a little looser.
