The Best Homemade Lasagna
This homemade lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. Layers of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted cheese make it the best lasagna recipe ever.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Ricotta Filling:
- 16 oz full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Lasagna:
- 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Meat Sauce
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the ground beef and pork, cooking until no pink remains. Drain excess fat and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Step 2: Prepare the Ricotta Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, egg, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the Noodles
- Boil the lasagna noodles in salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and lay flat on a clean towel to prevent sticking.
Step 4: Assemble the Lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add 3 lasagna noodles, then layer with ⅓ of the meat sauce, ⅓ of the ricotta filling (in dollops), and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layering process two more times, ending with the remaining mozzarella and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top.
Step 5: Bake
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.