Lasagna

Here’s a classic Lasagna recipe — a hearty, layered Italian dish with meat, cheese, and pasta.

🍝 Classic Lasagna

Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50–60 min

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz / 796 ml) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the cheese mixture:

• 15 oz (425 g) ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups (200 g) shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
• 1–2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

For assembly:

• 9–12 lasagna noodles (cooked according to package directions or use no-boil noodles)

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat sauce:
   • Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
   • Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
   • Add ground meat and cook until browned.
   • Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
   • Simmer for 15–20 minutes.
2. Prepare the cheese mixture:
   • In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, and parsley until smooth.
3. Assemble the lasagna:
   • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
   • Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
   • Layer noodles, then cheese mixture, then meat sauce.
   • Repeat layers until ingredients are used, finishing with meat sauce on top.
   • Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
4. Bake:
   • Cover with foil (to prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray).
   • Bake 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake another 20–25 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
5. Rest and serve:
   • Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before slicing to help it hold together.

🍴 Tips & Variations

• Vegetarian: Replace meat with sautéed vegetables (zucchini, spinach, mushrooms).
• Extra cheesy: Add more mozzarella between layers.
• Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate overnight; bake the next day.
• Sauce tip: Add a splash of red wine to the meat sauce for deeper flavor.

If you want, I can give a quick 30-minute lasagna version using no-boil noodles and pre-cooked meat for a faster weeknight meal.