I come from an Italian background, so I grew up eating Italian food. I love it. I think it is delicious, hearty, and comforting. Of all the Italian dishes out there, my favorite is lasagna.
World’s Best Lasagna Recipe
You can make it in many different ways, but lasagna with meat sauce and Italian sausage is for me, the best! Italian sausage gives it a unique and spicy flavor that is balanced perfectly with the use of a creamy layer of ricotta cheese.
This lasagna recipe with beef is so good because the meat and sausage sauce is simmered for more than an hour, which makes it amazing.
You might even want to make a little extra, freeze it, and have it later with some spaghetti and Chianti!
How To Make World’s Best Lasagna?
- Using a dutch oven over medium heat, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, minced onion, and garlic, until browned
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and sugar.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and two tbsp chopped parsley. Turn heat to low and simmer the sauce for 1 ½ hour, stirring occasionally.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, remaining two tbsp chopped parsley, and ½ tsp salt
- preheat oven to 375F
- Assemble lasagna: Using a 9 x 13-inch baking dish,
First layer: 1 ½ cups meat sauce
Second layer: arrange precooked noodles over meat sauce to cover
Third layer: spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles
Fourth layer: top the ricotta mixture with a third of the mozzarella cheese slices
Fifth layer: Spoon 1 ½ cup meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
Cover with aluminum foil (spray foil with oil spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese) and bake for 25 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.
How to reheat lasagna without drying it out?
Avoid reheating lasagna in the microwave oven without covering it. This will dry it out. For best results, place leftover lasagna in an oven-safe dish, cover it with foil and place it in a 350F hot oven until the sauce is bubbly again, anywhere from 15 to 30 mins depending on the amount of lasagna.
How to layer a lasagna?
There’s no bad way of layering a lasagna really. It depends on your taste. For better results, always start with a layer of meat sauce. Then, a layer of pasta. You can then add a layer of your creamy component and cheese.
Depending on how much pasta you like on your lasagna, you can divide your creamy and sauce layers with a layer of pasta. I prefer to have less pasta in mine, so I add a layer of cheese between ricotta and meat sauce.
So, here’s how I made it: meat sauce, pasta, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, meat sauce, Parmesan cheese, and start over again with the pasta layer. Ending with a layer of meat, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Can I Assemble Lasagna and Cook it Later:
Yes, you can, but only keep assembled lasagna, covered in plastic wrap, for one day in the fridge before baking it. Be sure to let the meat sauce cool completely before assembling the lasagna if you are not going to bake it immediately.
Using hot sauce on a dish that won’t be baked right away may promote the growth of bacteria.
Recipe Tips:
- You can use lasagna noodles that are not pre-cooked, but I find the extra step unnecessary.
- Make a little more meat sauce and freeze it. It makes for a great ready-made spaghetti sauce.
- I find it is easier to use the back of a spoon to spread the ricotta and meat sauce layers, rather than a spatula.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese is the creamiest for this recipe. If you can’t find it, you can use shredded mozzarella instead.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
- 3 INGREDIENT RAVIOLI BAKE
- FRENCH TOAST BAKE
- EASY BAKED ZITI RECIPE
Best Homemade Lasagna
This lasagna recipe with beef is so good because the meat and sausage sauce is simmered for more than an hour, which makes it amazing.
Print Save Rate
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 3 hours hours
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ lb lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
- 2 (6.5 oz) cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil leaves
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 12 pre-cooked lasagna noodles
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ¾ lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Using a dutch oven over medium heat, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, minced onion, and garlic, until browned
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and sugar.
Add salt and pepper to taste and two tbsp chopped parsley. Turn heat to low and simmer the sauce for 1 ½ hour, stirring occasionally.
In a small mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, remaining two tbsp chopped parsley, and ½ tsp salt
preheat oven to 375F
Assemble lasagna: Using a 9 x 13-inch baking dish,
- First layer: 1 ½ cups meat sauce
- Second layer: arrange precooked noodles over meat sauce to cover
- Third layer: spread ½ of ricotta mixture over noodles
- Fourth layer: top ricotta mixture with a third of mozzarella cheese slices
- Fifth layer: Spoon 1 ½ cup meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
Cover with aluminum foil (spray foil with oil spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese) and bake for 25 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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FAQs
Pros & Cons of Cottage Cheese
It's less creamy but has great cheesy flavor. The cheese curds create light pockets of cheesiness without weighing down the lasagna. One thing we love about cottage cheese—it's already nicely seasoned with salt. We recommend adding some pepper, dried herbs and crushed red pepper.
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta for lasagna? ›
In lasagna, you can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta in an equal, 1:1 ratio. Does cottage cheese make lasagna watery? To avoid watery lasagna when using cottage cheese, use regular, full-fat cottage cheese instead of low fat cottage cheese.
What is the correct order to layer lasagna? ›
The correct way to compose lasagna is: ragù sauce on the base, then: lasagna pasta, besciamella sauce, ragù sauce, grated parmesan cheese for each layer, tipically 4 or 5 layers, no more because it will get difficult to bake and the pasta will not be completely cooked in the middle layers.
How to layer the best lasagne? ›
Quick Overview:
- The first thing that goes on the buttered tray is a layer of red sauce. This is so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
- After that, add a smaller layer of white sauce.
- Then finally a layer of pasta.
- Repeat the process: red sauce, white sauce, pasta.
It's a matter of personal preference! Some prefer the richness and creaminess of ricotta cheese. Others like the low-fat, high-protein cottage cheese option. Cottage cheese has a higher water content, so you may want to drain it for an hour or so before using it.
What can you add to cottage cheese to make it taste better? ›
SWEET
- Fresh fruit. Try chopped peaches, plums or pineapple (or add your favorites). Berries. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc!
- Jam and toasted nuts.
- Granola and honey. Or Granola and maple syrup.
- Dried fruit. Try apricots or cranberries.
- Chocolate. Chips, chunks or shavings!
Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors. It may overpower milder ingredients.
Does real Italian lasagna have ricotta? ›
While ricotta is included in certain varieties of lasagna in Italy, the style that serves as the primary inspiration for American recipes is the one from the region of Emilia Romagna. There, it's traditionally layered with pasta, bolognese, and béchamel—with no ricotta to be found.
Should I add egg to my ricotta for lasagna? ›
Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact. So what happens if you don't put eggs in your lasagna? It'll just be a bit runnier, but omitting the egg won't affect the taste.
How many layers of lasagna is best? ›
Let me break it to you: If you want to make a lasagna, three layers just won't cut it! For the perfect lasagna, you need at least 4-5 layers to really enjoy all those mouth-watering flavors. And, here's a pro-tip: make sure to season each layer generously, but not too much. The average lasagna has 8 layers!
(Do notice that I put the noodles criss cross – perpendicular from the layer below – it helps it to hold together when you serve it). So, the noodles directly on the cheese means there won't be enough for a top layer of noodles.
Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered? ›
In an oven preheated to 375 degrees F, this homemade lasagna should be perfectly baked in about 50 minutes (30-40 minutes covered, 5-10 minutes uncovered).
How to make the best lasagna Gordon Ramsay? ›
Gordon Ramsay Lasagna Recipe
- Meat. • 300 g Beef, ground.
- Produce. • 2 cloves Garlic. • 1/2 Onion, medium. ...
- Canned Goods. • 1 tbsp Tomato paste.
- Condiments. • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
- Pasta & Grains. • 6 sheets Lasagna pasta.
- Baking & Spices. • 25 g Flour. • 1 pinch Nutmeg.
- Oils & Vinegars. • 2 tbsp Olive oil.
- Dairy. • 25 g Butter.
Spoon half the meat sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and place pasta sheets on top. Pour in half the cheese sauce and spread evenly. And then more meat and pasta sheets and cheese… you know how to layer a lasagna. Finish with grated Parmesan and sprinkle with another pinch of oregano; lightly season.
How far in advance can you make lasagna before cooking it? ›
You can assemble the lasagna, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. This not only saves time but also allows the flavors to meld together, making the lasagna even more delicious.
What is the point of cottage cheese? ›
Cottage cheese is high in protein and is an excellent source of calcium. Choosing a low-fat cottage cheese can reduce saturated fat intake when substituting it for other higher fat foods, such as cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise or ricotta cheese. It's also full of vitamins and minerals that support a healthy diet.
Why do people use cottage cheese instead of ricotta? ›
If you don't have ricotta on hand, here are six totally solid substitutes. Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.
What is a substitute for cottage cheese in lasagna? ›
You can use a variety of cheeses as a substitute for cottage cheese, such as ricotta, cream cheese, or mascarpone. Can I make this recipe ahead of time? Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time and bake it later. Assemble the lasagna up to the point of baking, then cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Why is cottage cheese better than ricotta? ›
If you're looking for a cheese with higher protein content and lower calories and fat, cottage cheese is the way to go. On the other hand, if you're looking for a cheese that has a creamier texture and is lower in sodium, ricotta cheese may be the better option.
