World's Best Lasagna
Recipe GLPRae71fcf985b707
A classic Italian lasagna featuring layers of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. The sauce is built from a combination of sweet Italian sausage and lean ground beef simmered with tomatoes and aromatic herbs for deep, savory flavor. This showstopper serves 12 and is perfect for family gatherings and special occasions.
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Ingredients
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt (for sauce)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt (for ricotta mixture)
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sweet Italian sausage, ground beef, minced onion, and crushed garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and cooked through (ground beef internal temperature 160°F), about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water to the cooked meat. Stir in the white sugar, dried basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the fresh parsley. Stir well to combine.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce slightly and flavors will meld together.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, remaining 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Spread 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 of the cooked lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce, overlapping slightly.
Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with one-third of the sliced mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the mozzarella layer and sprinkle 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Repeat the layers: arrange the remaining 6 noodles, spread the remaining ricotta mixture, add another third of the mozzarella, then 1 1/2 cups meat sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Top with the remaining mozzarella slices and remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, spraying the foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Bake covered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and lightly golden.
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the layers to set and makes serving cleaner.
