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The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe: Classic, Cheesy Comfort

A thick, delicious slice of homemade lasagna showing layers of pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese, sprinkled with herbs.
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Make this classic, hearty lasagna featuring rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and plenty of melted mozzarella. It is the ultimate comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound lasagna noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

  1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
  3. Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  4. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is your savory meat sauce.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
  6. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  7. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  8. Arrange a layer of cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce.
  9. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
  10. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.
  11. Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the mozzarella.
  12. Repeat the layers: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, one-third of the mozzarella, and remaining meat sauce.
  13. Top with a final layer of noodles and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese.
  14. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly browned.
  15. Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the layers set for clean cuts.

Notes

  • For a richer sauce, substitute half the ground beef with ground Italian sausage.
  • You can assemble this entire dish ahead of time, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
  • Use oven-ready noodles if you want to skip boiling the pasta, but adjust liquid in the sauce slightly if needed.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://afripaket.com/best-homemade-lasagna-recipe/