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Best Ever Lasagna
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Best Ever Lasagna

Traditional beef lasagna layered with noodles, cheeses and Marinara sauce.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 466 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

For the Marinara Sauce:
  • 6 olive oil tablespoon
  • 2 onion chopped, small
  • 2 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 celery chopped, stalk
  • 2 Italian parsley chopped, 1 tablespoon
  • 2 28- oz. Italian tomatoes canned
  • 6- oz. tomato paste canned
  • 1 tsp. basil dried
  • 1 tsp. oregano dried
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper ground
For the Lasagna:
  • 12 lasagna noodles cooked according to package directions, drained well
  • cooking spray
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 15 oz. ricotta cheese part-skim
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper ground
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 5 1/2 cups marinara sauce recipe above

Instructions

To make the Marinara sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a deep, heavy pan over medium high heat, saute the onion, garlic, celery and parsley until the onion becomes translucent.
  2. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
  4. Use a hand-held blender directly in the cooking pan to create a smooth sauce (If you don’t have a hand-held blender, you can transfer the sauce by small amounts to a blender or food processor and then returned to the pan).
  5. Add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
To create the lasagna:
  1. Cook lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
  2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain the fat from the beef and return it to the skillet.
  4. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  5. Stir one cup of Marinara sauce into the ground beef, mixing well. Set aside.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Assemble the lasagna:
  1. Spray a 13x9 inch pan lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Spread 1 cup Marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan.
  3. First layer - 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the meat mixture, 1 cup Marinara sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
  4. Second layer - 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 ½ cups Marinara sauce.
  5. Third layer - 4 lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining meat mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce, remaining mozzarella cheese.
  6. Top with Parmesan cheese.
  7. Cover pan with foil and bake 45 minutes.
  8. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  9. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

  • Note: the Marinara recipe makes about twice as much sauce as needed for the lasagna recipe. You can divide the recipe in half you want to, but I always make a big batch. The remainder can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 466kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 13g (76%) Cholesterol 74mg (25%) Sodium 1087mg (45%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 466

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 466kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 13g 76%
Cholesterol 74mg 25%
Sodium 1087mg 45%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 12g 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.