A Layered Delight: The Ultimate Lasagna Recipe
Lasagna, a culinary masterpiece of layered pasta, meaty sauce, and creamy cheese, is a crowd-pleaser that always leaves everyone wanting more. This recipe focuses on creating a rich and flavorful lasagna that's both easy to follow and impressive to serve. Let's dive into the delicious details!
Ingredients You'll Need:
This recipe yields approximately 12 servings. Adjust quantities as needed for smaller or larger gatherings.
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot, your choice!)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup water
For the Cheese Filling:
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 9 lasagna noodles (oven-ready preferred, but regular works too)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Prepare the Meat Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Brown the meat completely.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and water.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour for a deeper flavor. The longer it simmers, the better it tastes!
2. Prepare the Cheese Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
3. Assemble the Lasagna:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Layer 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce.
- Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Top with one-third of the remaining meat sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers: noodles, ricotta cheese, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese.
- Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining meat sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake the Lasagna:
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
5. Let it Rest:
- Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the flavors to meld and makes it easier to serve nice, clean slices.
Tips for Lasagna Perfection:
- Oven-ready noodles: Save yourself time and skip the pre-boiling step by using no-boil lasagna noodles.
- Meat options: Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef. You can also add vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, or zucchini to the meat sauce.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce for a little extra kick.
- Make it ahead: You can assemble the lasagna a day ahead of time and bake it when ready. Just keep it covered in the refrigerator.
This lasagna recipe is a fantastic starting point. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses, vegetables, and spices to create your own signature dish. Enjoy!
