My dilemma when writing this recipe…what do I call it? Classic lasagna? Traditional lasagna? Perfect lasagna? I finally settled on “The Best Homemade Lasagna” because that’s what we proclaim over and over every time we eat it. It’s simply the BEST!
I’ve been making and tweaking this recipe for TEN years! It’s one of those recipes that my husband and kids request for special occasions. For years, it was a Christmas Eve tradition for me to make it but then I decided take out was way less work! Ha! It’s really easy to make but the process takes time because you need the sauce to simmer for an hour then cook for almost an hour. Other than that, the rest is super simple.
Your Grocery List
- Italian Sausage
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Fresh garlic
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 12 oz tomato paste
- Granulated sugar
- Dried or fresh basil
- Fennel seeds
- Italian seasoning
- Fresh parsley
- Ricotta
- Egg (just one)
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Oven ready lasagna noodles
How to Make The Best Homemade Lasagna
The Best Homemade Lasagna is not a hard recipe at all but does take some time. 2 1/2-3 hours to be exact, so be prepared. It’s 100% worth the effort though because it really is the best homemade lasagna you’ll ever make. You’ll feel like a rock star when your family “oohs and ahhs” over this at the dinner table!
First, let’s make the sauce which is the star of the show. Brown sausage and ground beef together. When they are about halfway cooked, add the onion and garlic.
Once the meat is cooked through, add the crushed tomato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings. Also, don’t drain the grease! It sounds wrong, but trust me, and just leave it.
Once the tomatoes and seasonings are mixed well, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour. Add the fresh parsley, then taste and make sure the salt level is to your liking. Add more if needed and remove from heat. Time to assemble!
Please excuse the foil pan but the one I needed was unavailable when I took process pictures. You need a deep 9×13! First, add about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce to the bottom of the dish.
Place lasagna noodles on then add 1/3 of the ricotta mixture.
Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella then repeat with more meat sauce.
Top with parmesan then repeat layers two more times ending in sauce and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Cover with nonstick foil then bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 25 more minutes. Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.
I know you will love this lasagna as much as my family does! The savory meaty sauce, the ricotta, the abundance of mozzarella and parmesan…what’s not to love???
Also, it works SO well as a freezer meal. Feel free to split into two smaller dishes and put one in the freezer for later.
The Best Homemade Lasagna
Equipment
- Deep 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced or chopped
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried basil (or a handful of fresh – chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided
- 16 oz ricotta
- 16 oz shredded mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan (NOT powdered!)
- 9 oz box oven ready lasagna noodles
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and sausage then cook until mostly brown. Add onion and garlic then continue cooking until until meat is fully browned.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, fennel, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
- Add all but 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to sauce. Stir. Taste and add more salt if needed. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining fresh parsley.
- To assemble, spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray then ladle in enough sauce to coat bottom of dish. Add 4-6 pieces of lasagna over sauce (it's ok if they overlap a little). Add 1/3 of ricotta mixture then carefully spread across pasta. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella, 1/3 of meat sauce then 1/3 of the Parmesan. Repeat layers two more times ending in sauce and remaining cheese.
- Cover tightly with nonstick foil (or spray regular foil with cooking spray). Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 20-25 additional minutes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Give yourself PLENTY of time to make this. You need about 2 1/2-3 hours from start to finish.
- If you don’t have enough pasta for the final layer, it’s ok. Just place what you have on it!
- Freezes perfectly! Can easily be made in two smaller pans so that you can stash one in the freezer for later. (Freeze before baking!)
- If you choose to use traditional lasagna noodles, follow package instructions for boiling before assembling.
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