Easy Lasagna Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
40 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Resting Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
12 people
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Calories
487 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Easy Lasagna Recipe
Description
Easy Lasagna Recipe layers a blend of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, an egg, and Italian seasoning with a flavorful meat sauce made by browning ground beef and sausage, sautéed onion, and garlic. The sauce is simmered with chicken broth, marinara, tomato paste, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to round out the flavor. Lasagna noodles are cooked until just tender and then layered with the cheese filling and meat sauce before topping with mozzarella and baking in a preheated oven.
The hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce subtly enhance flavor without adding spiciness. Cooking the onions slowly develops sweetness that balances tomato acidity. The baked lasagna sets into distinct layers with melty cheeses and a moist, saucy interior. The top browns attractively without drying out when baked properly.
Serve lasagna hot as a satisfying main dish. It pairs well with simple salads or garlic bread. Using good quality marinara and freshly shredded cheeses improves texture and flavor. The dish freezes well if assembled in advance without baking, allowing flexibility for meal planning.
Notes suggest no-boil or fresh noodles as alternatives. When baking in a deep dish, placing a tray underneath helps catch any bubbly spills. Leftovers reheat conveniently covered at moderate heat. The recipe yields 12 servings, suitable for gatherings or family meals.
Ingredients
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese 2 cups
- 1 egg large
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- ¾ lb. ground beef
- ¾ lb. Italian sausage ground
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 40 oz. marinara sauce see notes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Lasagna Noodles/ Cheese Topping
- 12 lasagna noodles plus extra in case of breakage
- 2.5 cups mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prep Work
- Combine the cheese filling ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients.
Make the Meat Sauce
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the diced onions. Let them soften for 10 minutes. (This allows them to release a little sugar which is a nice offset to the acidity of the tomatoes.)
- Add the ground beef and sausage and increase heat to medium-high. Use a spatula to break up the meat so that it’s very fine and crumbled. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through. Add garlic during the last minute. Drain excess grease.
- Add the chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the marinara sauce, tomato paste, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and let the sauce simmer gently while you boil the pasta noodles.
Preheat Oven and Cook the Lasagna Noodles
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Begin boiling a large pot of salted pasta water for the lasagna noodles. Once a rapid boil is reached, cook the noodles to al dente according to package instructions. (Set a timer to ensure you don’t overcook them.) Gently stir with a wooden spoon throughout cooking to prevent the noodles from sticking. Drain and rinse with cold water until noodles are completely cool.
- Lay the cooled noodles flat on wax or parchment paper while you begin assembling the lasagna.
Assemble
- Spread 1 heaping cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Next, add 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping them if needed.
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by about 1 ½ cups of meat sauce.
- Top with 4 more lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1 ½ cups meat sauce.
- Finish with 4 more lasagna noodles, the rest of the ricotta mixture, and the rest of the meat sauce.
- Top with 2 ½ cups of Mozzarella cheese.
- Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray and place it spray-side-down on top of the baking dish to prevent the cheese from sticking to it.
Bake
- Bake for 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove and garnish with fresh parsley. Let it sit for 15 minutes prior to serving to allow the layers to set. Serve with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
- Use Rao’s marinara sauce or a high-quality marinara for best flavor balance.
- Shred cheese from blocks rather than using pre-shredded for better melting and texture.
- Slowly sauté onions for 10 minutes to develop subtle sweetness that offsets tomato acidity.
- No-boil or fresh lasagna noodles may be used to skip the boiling step; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- If lasagna nearly fills the baking dish, place a baking sheet underneath to catch sauce spills during baking.
- Store lasagna in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days; freeze unbaked assembled dish up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen lasagna completely before baking; add 10 extra minutes if baking straight from chilled.
- To reheat leftovers, bake covered at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 487 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 487kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 107mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 1207mg | 50% |
| Potassium | 632mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 968IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 396mg | 40% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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