The Best Classic Meat Lasagna
This classic, hearty lasagna features a rich, slow-simmered meat saucelayered with a creamy ricotta and cottage cheese blend, no-boil noodles, and plenty of cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food meal, perfect for feeding a crowd or making ahead.
Ingredients
- Groupe 1 : For the Meat Sauce
- 1 lb 450g - ground beef (80/20)
- ½ lb 225g - Italian sausage
- 1 medium - yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves - garlic minced
- ¼ cup - dry red wine or beef broth
- 28 oz 800g - marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp - tomato paste
- 1 tsp - Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp - sugar
- ½ tsp - salt
- ¼ tsp - black pepper
- 2 tbsp - fresh parsley chopped
- Groupe 2 : The Cheese Mixture
- 15 oz 425g - whole milk ricotta cheese
- 16 oz 450g - cottage cheese
- 1 large - egg
- ¼ cup - fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup - shredded mozzarella cheese réservé des 4 cups totaux
- ½ cup - grated Parmesan cheese
- Groupe 3 : Assembly
- 12 - lasagna noodles ou 9 grandes
- 3 cups - shredded mozzarella cheese reste des 4 cups
- Extra - for topping: Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Lasagna Sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage with the diced onion for 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the red wine (or broth) and stir until almost evaporated (about 2 minutes).
- Add marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, pepper, and parsley. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Make the Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cottage cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, the egg, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles until al dente (8-10 mins). Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Layer the Lasagna (Bottom): Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- First Layer: Add 3-4 lasagna noodles. Spread with ⅓ of the cheese mixture, sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella, and top with 1 cup of meat sauce.
- Second Layer: Repeat: Noodles, ⅓ cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 cup meat sauce.
- Final Layers: Add the last noodles. Top with all remaining meat sauce, then sprinkle with the last 1 cup of mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20-25 more minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Rest: Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Pro Tip: Undercook the noodles slightly as they’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the lasagna up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake as directed, adding 10-15 minutes if cold from fridge.
- Freezing: Assemble and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before baking, or bake from frozen (add 30-45 mins covered).
- No-Boil Noodles: Can be used. Ensure sauce covers noodles completely and add ¼ cup water to the dish before baking.