The Best Classic Lasagna

The Best Classic Lasagna Recipe – Homemade lasagna full of pasta, ricotta, a homemade meat sauce, and tons of cheese.  This is the world’s best lasagna recipe!

I’ve been working on this meat lasagna recipe for over a year.

I set out to make the best traditional lasagna recipe.  Every time I made it, I’d make little tweaks here and there until I thought it was just right.

I think I finally nailed it!

How to make lasagna:

• Make the meat sauce
• Make a ricotta cheese mixture
• Boil the pasta
• Assemble the lasagna
• Bake
• Cool
• Enjoy

How to layer lasagna:

• Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish
• Make a layer of cooked lasagna noodles
• Spread an even layer of the ricotta cheese mixture
• Spread an even layer of meat sauce
• Repeat those layers two times
• Top it with a final layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese

How to bake lasagna:

• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes
• Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes
• Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing

Wondering what to serve with this amazing lasagna recipe?  Try these.

• Cream Cheese Italian Pinwheels from Amanda’s Easy Recipes
• Salad with Homemade Garlic & Herb Vinaigrette
• Zesty Tomato Broccoli Salad – From Inspire a Creation
• Homemade Garlic Bread – From Recipe Tin Eats

You may also like:

• The Best Classic Meatloaf Recipe
• The Best Classic Chili Recipe
• The Best Classic Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe

Watch the step by step video for The Best Classic Lasagna recipe below.

Best Classic Lasagna Recipe

The Best Classic Lasagna Recipe - Homemade lasagna full of pasta, ricotta, a homemade meat sauce, and tons of cheese.  This is the world's best lasagna recipe!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Amanda Finks

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4.98 from 108 votes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion -chopped
• 2 garlic cloves -minced
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons salt -divided
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning -divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves -divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley -divided
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese -divided
• 15 oz. (1 3/4 cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese -divided
• 1 large egg
• 12 lasagna noodles

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the meat sauce. Add beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.
• Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and the black pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.
• As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until well incorporated.
• Cook the pasta al dente, according to it’s package directions.
• Assemble the lasagna. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, add a very thin layer of meat sauce (about 1/4 cup). Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 (level) cups of meat sauce. Repeat the layers twice.
• Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.
• Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 15 more minutes.
• Let the lasagna cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/12th of the recipe | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1420mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1115IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 3.7mg

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword best lasagna, classic lasagna, homemade lasagna recipe, lasagna recipe

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