Easy Classic Lasagna (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meat Sauce
01 -
1 lb ground beef
02 -
½ lb sweet Italian sausage
03 -
1 teaspoon minced garlic
04 -
48 oz prepared spaghetti sauce
→ Cheese Filling
05 -
15 oz ricotta cheese
06 -
2 large eggs
07 -
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 -
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 -
2 teaspoons dried parsley or 4 tablespoons fresh parsley
10 -
¼ teaspoon salt
11 -
¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Assembly and Topping
12 -
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
13 -
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 -
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 -
¼ cup water (if needed for thick sauce)
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray to keep everything from sticking. Set it aside while you get the other components ready.
02 -
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together, breaking them up as they cook. Drain off any extra fat. Stir in the garlic and spaghetti sauce. If your sauce seems too thick, add up to ¼ cup water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes to blend all the flavors.
03 -
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until it's smooth and creamy. Fresh parsley gives extra flavor if you have it on hand.
04 -
Spread about ¾ cup of meat sauce across the bottom of your prepared dish. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then add another layer of meat sauce.
05 -
Repeat the layering two more times: noodles, cheese mixture, then sauce. Finish with a final layer of noodles, cover with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with the last cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. If using thick sauce, pour ¼ cup water around the edges.
06 -
Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is golden. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting - this helps the layers stay together when you serve it.
# Notes:
01 -
You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta if preferred - both work equally well
02 -
Fresh parsley adds more flavor than dried, but either option works perfectly
03 -
Add water around edges if using thick sauce to help uncooked noodles cook properly
04 -
Let lasagna rest 10 minutes after baking for cleaner, neater slices when serving