Lasagna
servings
Fall in love with this classic Lasagna Recipe with layers of lasagna noodles, mozzarella cheese, homemade meat sauce, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. This treasured family recipe IS the ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb meatloaf mixture * See note.
- 1 large yellow onion or enough for one cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces tomato puree
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 box lasagna noodles
Ricotta Mixture
- 1 large egg
- 30 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 4-5 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Meat Sauce
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook until brown.
- Add the puree, sauce, diced tomatoes, paste, sugar, basil, salt, oregano, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir until well combined.
- Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Place a few long sheets of wax paper onto a clean work surface, and spray with cooking spray. In a large pot, cook lasagna noodles according to manufacturer's directions.
Drain and place noodles flat onto the wax paper while the sauce continues to cook.
Ricotta Mixture
- In a large bowl, beat the egg.
- Add the ricotta, 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Mix until well combined.
Lasagna Assembly
- Generously coat a deep 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and layer a rimmed baking pan with tin foil. Remove the bay leaves from the meat sauce.
- Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
- Put 4 lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce.
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Completely cover with about 2 cups of sauce, making sure to spread the sauce into the corners and along the edges.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella over the sauce.
- Place 4 lasagna noodles over the mozzarella and repeat the order of layering.
- Place lasagna noodles over the final ricotta/mozzarella layer and cover with sauce.
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the sauce.
- Place the pan of lasagna onto the foil-lined baking sheet. This allows for easier clean-up should it bubble over in the oven or spill over when cutting into at the table.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until bubbly. If you should notice cheese beginning to brown, cover lightly with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Notes
- Use a deep 9 X 13-inch pan. This recipe makes a VERY full and heavy lasagna that will expand while cooking, possibly spilling out of the pan.
- You can usually purchase a 1 lb. pre-made meatloaf mixture of ground beef, veal, and pork at your local grocery store. I like the flavor it adds to the recipe and have found that sometimes it is less expensive than buying a pound of plain ground beef, but you can use that if you'd prefer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1337mg | Potassium: 1184mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1651IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 616mg | Iron: 5mg