Description
This World's Best Lasagna recipe is a hearty, classic Italian dish layered with a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta filling, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. It requires some preparation and slow simmering for deep flavors but rewards you with a satisfying, comforting meal perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Lasagna Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all the ingredients needed for the recipe to ensure smooth cooking.
- Cook Meat Mixture: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the sweet Italian sausage, lean ground beef, minced onion, and crushed garlic until fully cooked and well browned, developing rich flavors.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water into the cooked meat mixture. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally to blend flavors thoroughly.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking and stop the cooking process.
- Prepare Ricotta Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with one egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt to create a creamy filling.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) to get ready for baking the assembled lasagna.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay 6 lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with one-third of the mozzarella slices. Spoon another 1 ½ cups of meat sauce over the mozzarella, then sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, finishing with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Cover the dish with foil, sprayed with cooking spray or tented to avoid cheese sticking.
- Bake Lasagna: Place the lasagna in the preheated oven and bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the foil carefully and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes to brown the cheese and finish cooking.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the baked lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set for cleaner servings and better flavor melding.
Notes
- For a video version showing 3 layers instead of 2, use 4 noodles per layer without overlapping, 1 cup of meat sauce, and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture per layer.
- Spraying the foil with cooking spray or ensuring it does not touch the cheese prevents cheese from sticking to the foil during baking.
- This recipe makes a large lasagna suitable for 12 servings, perfect for family gatherings or meal prep.
- Allowing the meat sauce to simmer slowly develops a deeper, richer flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian