Lasagna Recipe (Classic Meat Lasagna, Easy to Assemble)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Browning the meat properly and simmering the sauce before layering builds flavor that a no-simmer sauce cannot match, while the egg-bound ricotta keeps the middle layer from turning watery. Resting the finished lasagna for 15 minutes is the difference between tidy slices and a slid-apart mess.

Ingredients for Lasagna Recipe (Classic Meat Lasagna, Easy to Assemble)

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (85% lean)
• 1/2 lb (225 g) Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced, and 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz / 795 g) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz / 170 g) can tomato paste
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth or water
• 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more salt for the noodles
• 15 lasagna noodles (no-boil or regular)
• 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta
• 1 large egg, beaten, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cups (400 g) shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan, divided

How to Make Lasagna Recipe (Classic Meat Lasagna, Easy to Assemble)

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles if you are not using no-boil.
2. Cook the ground beef, sausage, and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into crumbles, until browned with no pink left, 7 to 9 minutes; add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, then drain excess fat.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, sugar, Italian seasoning, and salt; bring to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Mix the ricotta, egg, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan in a bowl with a pinch of salt until smooth.
5. Boil the noodles 2 minutes under package directions so they finish cooking in the oven, then drain and lay them flat on oiled foil so they do not stick.
6. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce over the bottom of the 9x13 dish, then layer 5 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, 1 cup sauce, and 1 1/4 cups mozzarella; repeat the layers once more.
7. Finish with the last 5 noodles, the remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and the rest of the Parmesan, then cover tightly with foil.
8. Bake covered for 25 minutes and uncovered for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the sauce bubbles along the edges; rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Tips for the Best Lasagna Recipe (Classic Meat Lasagna, Easy to Assemble)

• Drain the ricotta in a strainer for 15 minutes before mixing it with the egg; this is the simplest way to avoid a watery middle layer.
• Shred mozzarella from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch that keeps it from melting as smoothly.
• If the top is not as brown as you like after the covered bake, broil 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
• This homemade lasagna recipe doubles cleanly in two pans; assemble the second one for the freezer before you start baking.

Variations and Substitutions

• Vegetable version: load the sauce with sautéed mushrooms and spinach, or follow vegetable lasagna for a drained-vegetable method.
• Dairy-light northern style: swap the ricotta layer for the silky sauce in lasagna with bechamel.
• For a hands-off version, layer the same components in slow cooker lasagna.
• Swap the ricotta mix for the tested formula in ricotta filling for lasagna, or go fully plant-based with vegan lasagna.
• Portion-controlled servings: roll the ricotta mixture into lasagna roll ups before baking.

How to Store and Reheat

• Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat portions at 325°F (160°C) until hot, about 20 minutes.
• To freeze, cool the unbaked lasagna completely, wrap the whole dish in foil, and freeze up to 3 months; bake covered from frozen at 375°F for 60 to 75 minutes, then uncover to brown.

Lasagna Recipe (Classic Meat Lasagna, Easy to Assemble) FAQ