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Homemade layered lasagna with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta filling, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese baked until golden brown.

The Best & Easiest Lasagna Recipe

5 from 1 vote
This homemade lasagna is layered with a hearty meat sauce, a creamy ricotta filling, tender lasagna noodles, and plenty of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food that's surprisingly easy to make and perfect for family dinners, holidays, or meal prep.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Rest Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 10 servings
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16-ounce box lasagna noodles
  • cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons cooking oil
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 32 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes, breaking up the meat until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, 2½ cups mozzarella cheese, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until well mixed.
  5. Cook the lasagna noodles 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
  6. Spray a deep 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1½ cups of the meat sauce over the bottom of the dish.
  7. Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping if needed. Spread about 2 cups of the meat sauce over the noodles, then spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the sauce.
  8. Repeat the layers two more times: noodles, meat sauce, ricotta mixture.
  9. Finish with a final layer of noodles, spread the remaining meat sauce evenly over the top, then sprinkle with 1½ cups shredded mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
  10. Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray and place it sprayed-side down over the lasagna.
  11. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
  12. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15–20 minutes.
  13. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 3–5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
  14. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
  15. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

  • Slightly undercooking the noodles keeps them from becoming too soft while baking.
  • A deep 9x13-inch baking dish works best for all of the layers.
  • Letting the lasagna rest before cutting helps it hold together.