Lasagna
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
35 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
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Servings
15
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Lasagna
Description
Lasagna is built on a sauce made from browned lean ground beef and Italian sausage, finely ground after cooking, then simmered with tomato puree, tomato paste, and a blend of Italian herbs including dried basil, crushed fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, and marjoram. This simmering phase lets flavors meld and the sauce reduce for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The sauce is seasoned with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a touch of sugar to balance acidity.
Cooked lasagna noodles are layered with the meat sauce along with a mixture of part-skim ricotta cheese blended with egg and dried parsley. The recipe then adds shredded mozzarella and finely shredded Parmesan and Romano cheeses for rich texture and flavor. The layering creates a hearty casserole with varied cheesy textures and savory meat tomato sauce throughout.
This classic baked lasagna offers a well-rounded combination of tender pasta, robust meat sauce, and creamy, melty cheeses. It can be sliced and served as a filling main dish for family meals or gatherings. The use of both ground beef and Italian sausage deepens the meat flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.
Before assembling, count your lasagna noodles to ensure even layering; reduce the number of noodles per layer if fewer noodles are available. Proper noodle count helps maintain structure and consistency of the finished dish.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef lean
- 12 oz Italian sausage
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil , divided
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1/3 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 2 (29 oz) cans tomato puree
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp basil dried
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed, dried
- 3/4 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1/2 tsp marjoram dried
- 16 oz lasagna noodles
- 15 oz ricotta cheese part-skim
- 1 egg large
- 1 1/2 tsp parsley dried
- 16 oz mozzarella shredded (4 cups, whole milk
- 2 oz Parmesan Cheese , finely shredded (packed 1/2 cup)
- 2 oz Romano cheese , finely shredded (packed 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, crumble beef and sausage into pot, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through.
- Remove from heat and drain into a large bowl lined with plenty of paper towels. Pour drained beef and sausage into a food processor and pulse mixture about 10 - 15 seconds until ground into small pieces, set aside.
- Return pot to medium-high heat, add in remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and saute until golden, about 2 - 3 minutes, adding garlic during the last 30 seconds of sauteing.
- Add tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar, basil, crushed fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, marjoram, then season with 1 tsp salt and more to taste and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Add cooked meat.
- Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 45 minutes - 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Cook pasta to al dente according to directions listed on package (now is a good time to shred cheese). Drain pasta (do not rinse) and once cool enough to handle, align noodles in a single layer on sheets of wax paper (you can also hang some of them over the colander used to strain pasta).
- In a mixing bowl using a fork, blend together Ricotta cheese, egg and parsley, set aside. In a mixing bowl or large ziploc bag, toss together mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheese, set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble lasagna, evenly spread 1 cup ground beef pasta sauce into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Align 4 - 5* lasagna noodles over sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over lasagna noodle layer (it will be a thin layer) then sprinkle 1/4 of the mozzarela cheese mixture into an even layer.
- Dollop and spread 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce evenly over cheese, then repeat this layering process 2 more times. Finish top with 1 more layer of 4 - 5 lasagna noodles, then spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce over top of noodles and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese mixture. Tent baking dish with foil (don't allow foil to touch cheese on top.
- Also if you may want to rest it on a baking sheet if it's looking very full in the baking dish to prevent it from spilling over) and bake in preheated oven 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve warm garnished with additional Romano cheese and fresh parsley or basil if desired.
Notes
- Count your cooked lasagna noodles before assembling; adjust the number of noodles per layer to maintain even layering.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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