Homemade Lasagna: Layered Comfort for Family Feast Night Recipe
This homemade lasagna recipe offers a comforting, layered baked pasta dish perfect for a family feast night. Featuring a savory meat sauce with ground beef and Italian sausage, creamy ricotta cheese filling, and a topping of melted mozzarella and parmesan, this classic Italian favorite bakes to bubbly, golden perfection.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles (no-boil noodles optional)
Meat Sauce
- 0.5 lb lean ground beef
- 0.5 lb Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 36 oz pasta sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Cheese Filling
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (part of 4 cups total)
- 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (part of 0.5 cup total)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (remaining part of 4 cups total)
- 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (remaining part of 0.5 cup total)
- Additional mozzarella cheese for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation Steps: Gather and prepare all your ingredients, including dicing onions, mincing garlic, and chopping parsley to streamline the cooking process.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for baking the lasagna evenly.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water to prevent sticking, then set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking up the meat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking until softened. Drain any excess fat. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes to blend flavors.
- Make Cheese Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 0.25 cup Parmesan, chopped parsley, beaten egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly until well blended for a smooth, creamy filling.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread a layer of meat sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Lay down 3 noodles side by side, then spread a layer of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with the remaining meat sauce on top.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly on top, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing. This resting time allows the layers to set for cleaner slices and enhanced flavor melding.
Notes
- Using no-boil lasagna noodles can save time by skipping the noodle boiling step.
- Ground turkey or chicken sausage can be substitutes for a leaner meat option.
- Shallots can replace onions for a milder, sweeter flavor.
- For convenience, garlic powder may substitute fresh minced garlic, but fresh imparts stronger flavor.
- Cottage cheese is a lighter alternative to ricotta cheese.
- Flaxseed meal mixed with water is a great vegan substitute for the egg in the cheese filling.
- Fresh basil can replace parsley for a different herbaceous note.
- Allowing the lasagna to rest before serving helps with portioning and flavor development.
Keywords: Homemade lasagna, classic Italian, layered pasta, baked lasagna, comfort food, family dinner
