Classic Meat Lasagna

Name: Classic Meat Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 12 serving
Ingredients: 2 oz prosciutto; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup onion; 1 cup carrot; 1 cup celery; 3 cloves garlic; 1 lb ground beef; 1 lb ground pork; ½ cup red wine; 2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon rosemary; 1 tablespoon parsley; ¼ cup basil; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup beef stock; 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes; 32 oz ricotta cheese; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoon parsley; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup Parmesan Cheese; 4 cups mozzarella cheese; 1 tablespoon parsley; 1 lb lasagna noodles; 5 cups marinara sauce

User Reviews

5.0

6 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings
12
Calories
705 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian-American Fussion

Classic Meat Lasagna

Kaitlin Leblanc

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This is the ultimate in comfort food. You can make the marinara sauce and meat sauce several days in advance. You can also make the entire lasagna a couple of days in advance of baking. Delicious and feed a hungry family or group of friends!

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Ingredients

Servings

FOR THE MEAT SAUCE

2 oz prosciutto chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup carrot peeled and chopped
1 cup celery chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ground beef 85% lean
1 lb ground pork
½ cup red wine
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 teaspoon oregano fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon rosemary fresh, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
¼ cup basil fresh, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup beef stock
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

FOR THE RICOTTA MIXTURE

32 oz ricotta cheese whole milk
2 large eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

FOR ASSEMBLY AND SERVING

1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
4 cups mozzarella cheese whole milk, grated
1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
1 lb lasagna noodles you'll need 23 to 24 noodles
5 cups marinara sauce

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Instructions

MAKE AHEAD

Make the marinara sauce ahead of time,

MAKE THE MEAT SAUCE

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chopped prosciutto. Cook until crispy, about 4 minutes.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until soft and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the oregano, rosemary, parsley, and basil and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine.
Add the beef, pork, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until meat is no longer pink. If desired, tilt the skillet to the side and use a large spoon to remove some of the rendered fat. You'll want to leave at least 2 tablespoon of grease in the pan.
Add the wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 4 minutes.
Add the bay leaves, beef stock, and tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Set aside to cool.

COOK THE NOODLES

Bring two pots of liberally salted water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook until just barely al dente, usually about 7 to 8 minutes.
Immediately remove from the heat and use a pair of tongs to remove the noodles from the water and place them on baking sheets. Place a kitchen towel over the noodles and press down to soak up any excess water.

MAKE THE RICOTTA MIXTURE

In a medium bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY AND SERVING

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a lasagna dish, spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce across the bottom of the pan. Place 4 noodles over the sauce, lengthwise and a fifth noodle, cut in half and about an inch cut off the end to place at the end of the 4 noodles.
Use a spoon to spread 3 cups of the cooled meat sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese over the meat mixture. Add another layer of noodles.
Use another spoon to spread 2 cups of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella over the ricotta, and then ¼ cup of the Parmesan over that. Top with another layer of noodles.
Add the remaining meat sauce, another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture/1 cup mozzarella/¼ cup Parmesan, and top with one more layer of noodles.
Spread 1 cup of the marinara over the top layer of noodles, and then add 2 cups of mozzarella and another ¼ cup of Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, removing the foil after 45 minutes.
Let the lasagna rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Garnish with chopped parsley. Use a sharp knife to cut the lasagna into 12 squares.
Heat marinara and place a thin layer in each serving plate. Top with a piece of lasagna and serve at once.

Notes

The marinara and meat sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.
The noodles can be prepared up to 2 hours before assembly. Be sure to cook the noodles until just al dente. As they bake, they will soak up any additional liquid and make them perfectly cooked. This also helps to reduce excess liquid in your finished lasagna.
A straight-edge pasta pan is ideal for this recipe. If you are using a 9"x13" glass dish with beveled edges, there may not be enough room for 5 layers of noodles. If this is the case, go with 3 layers of noodles, with one layer of meat sauce and one layer of the ricotta.
Be sure to let the lasagna rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours before slicing and serving. This also reduces the chance of lasagna with too much liquid when serving.
Best served over a small layer of homemade marina.
The baked lasagna will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and can be frozen for up to 2 months. Unbaked lasagana can be prepared 2 days in advance, or frozen up to one month in advance. We recommend letting the lasagna thaw before baking. But if you do bake it frozen, keep covered with foil (until the last minutes of baking), and bake for approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 705kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 166mg (55%) Sodium 1099mg (46%) Potassium 902mg (26%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 3105IU (62%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 500mg (50%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 705 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	705kcal	35%
Carbohydrates	41g	14%
Protein	42g	84%
Fat	24g	37%
Saturated Fat	8g	40%
Cholesterol	166mg	55%
Sodium	1099mg	46%
Potassium	902mg	19%
Fiber	4g	16%
Sugar	7g	14%
Vitamin A	3105IU	62%
Vitamin C	11mg	12%
Calcium	500mg	50%
Iron	4mg	22%