World's Best Lasagna (Printable Version)

Layered Italian comfort with meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and tender pasta. Serves 8 in 1 hour 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta & Cheese

01 - 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
02 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meat Sauce

06 - 1 lb ground beef, lean
07 - 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
08 - 4 cups marinara sauce
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook while breaking up the meat until fully browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and chopped basil. Simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg. Mix until smooth consistency is achieved.
06 - Spread a layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
07 - Arrange 4 lasagna noodles in slightly overlapping fashion over the sauce.
08 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with one-third of the mozzarella cheese, then add more meat sauce.
09 - Repeat layering: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, one-third mozzarella, meat sauce.
10 - Top with final layer of noodles, remaining meat sauce, then finish with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
11 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
13 - Allow lasagna to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The uncooked noodles soak up all the sauce flavor and save you from boiling water and burning your fingers.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when all the layers have melted together.
  • You can assemble it in the morning and bake it later when everyone is hungry.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time or your first slice will be a saucy puddle on the plate, I learned this the hard way at a dinner party.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, thin it with a splash of water because the noodles need moisture to cook properly.
  • Covering with foil is essential for the first part of baking or the top will burn before the noodles soften.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut clean slices that look like they belong in a magazine.
  • If you are making this ahead, assemble it completely and refrigerate it unbaked for up to twenty-four hours, then add ten extra minutes to the covered baking time.
  • Lean ground beef works best because too much fat makes the sauce greasy, but if you use regular beef just drain it really well.
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