Description
A timeless, comfort‑food favorite layering rich beef‑tomato sauce, creamy ricotta and gooey mozzarella—baked until bubbling and golden for the ultimate satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and black pepper to taste
24–32 oz marinara or pasta sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Ricotta filling:
2 cups whole‑milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or chopped parsley
Additional layers:
9–12 lasagna noodles (boiled or oven‑ready)
2–3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Extra Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add ground beef (and pork, if using), season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Stir in marinara sauce, tomato paste and seasoning, simmer for 5–10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and seasoning until smooth.
Spread about 1 cup meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles on top.
Spoon one‑third of ricotta mixture over the noodles, then about 1½ cups meat sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for 30–45 minutes. Remove foil, bake an additional 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. Broil briefly if desired.
Allow lasagna to rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving to set the layers and improve texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main course
