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
- 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.
- Prepare the cheese mixture:
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, and parsley until smooth.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
