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4.9 from 24 votes

Best Homemade Lasagna

Best Homemade Lasagna – Made with Italian sausage, ground beef, three kinds of cheeses, and plenty of herbs and spices for the BEST homemade lasagna that your friends and family will LOVE! Easier than you think to make and everything is spelled out in detail for lasagna-at-home that tastes like it’s from a fancy Italian restaurant!

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 10
Calories: 635 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • ½ pound dry lasagna noodles use classic noodles, do not use no-boil
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • ½ pound lean ground beef about 90% lean
  • ½ medium white onion diced small
  • ½ large bell pepper diced small (red, yellow, or orage)
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 33.5 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • one 3-ounce can tomato paste
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine optional (sub with chicken broth, water, or omit)
  • 1 ½ pounds shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the lasagna noodles in a 9x13-inch baking dish, pour very hot water over them, making sure they are fully submerged. Allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes while you make the sauce.
  2. Meat Sauce - To a large, high-sided skillet, add the sausage, ground beef, and cook over medium-high heat to brown. Crumble as the mixture cooks to ensure even cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until nearly done.
  3. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes; stir frequently.
  4. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and stir to combine.
  5. Add the parsley, oregano, Italian seasoning, sugar, basil, garlic powder, optional wine, and simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 15 minutes; stir intermittently.
  6. Cheese Sauce - Separately, to a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, ricotta, sour cream, Parmesan, egg, and stir to combine; set aside.
  7. After at least 30 minutes, remove the noodles from the pan, dump the water, dry the pan, and spray it with cooking spray if desired to prevent sticking.
  8. Preheat oven to 350F.
  9. Assembly - Add 1 1/2 cups meat sauce to the bottom of the pan, spread it out over the bottom of the pan, add approximately 3 lasagna noodles over it, add a layer of cheese sauce, and sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella.
  10. Repeat this process 3 times - Meat sauce, noodles, cheese sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella.
  11. To finish, top with the remaining meat sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Tip - The cheese should be quite generous or thick here so that when it bakes, it melts to give you the classic cheesy lasagna everyone loves. If you need to use more than is indicated in the recipe to do this because you added more in between the layers, do so.
  12. Baking - Cover with foil, making a domed tent in the middle. Tip - Take care that the foil doesn't touch the cheese because the cheese could stick to it and you'll rip off the cheese when you remove the foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
  13. Remove from the oven, uncover, and bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is as lightly golden browned as desired.
  14. Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Extra lasagna will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.* (See Notes below for Prepping in Advance and Freezing)

Notes

  • *Prepping in Advance and Freezing - You can freeze uneaten portions of lasagna in airtight plastic containers in individual sized portions. This for me is easiest, makes efficient use of my freezer space, and when you’re ready to consume it, individual portions thaw faster. 
  • However, if you want to make and prep lasagna ahead of time, and freeze it before baking, go ahead and do so. Before you bake it, cover your baking pan very tightly with plastic wrap. When you’re ready to bake it, remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil.
  • Tips: You can thaw lasagna on the counter before baking. This will take hours. Or, you can simply cook the lasagna straight from frozen by adding an additional 15 to 30 minutes to the covered baking time.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 635kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 30g (10%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 18g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 138mg (46%) Sodium 1489mg (62%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 635

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 635kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 30g 10%
Protein 42g 84%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Polyunsaturated Fat 18g 106%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 138mg 46%
Sodium 1489mg 62%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 11g 22%

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