Worlds Best Lasagna (Printable)

Comforting Italian classic with layers of pasta, seasoned meat sauce, ricotta, and golden melted cheese.

# What You Need:

→ 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, sweet or spicy, 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 fresh basil. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend
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 over the sauce, slightly overlapping
08 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with one-third of the mozzarella cheese, followed by additional meat sauce
09 - Repeat layering: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce
10 - Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, followed by remaining meat sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
11 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes
12 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling
13 - Remove from oven and allow lasagna to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without much fuss, and everyone goes quiet when they take their first bite.
  • The layers hold together beautifully when you slice it, so every piece looks like it came from a restaurant.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it the rare dish that improves with time.
  • You can prep it hours ahead and just slide it into the oven when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after baking, it is what makes the lasagna slice cleanly instead of oozing everywhere.
  • If your noodles poke out from the edges, tuck them under or they will turn crispy and hard during baking.
  • Taste the meat sauce before layering and adjust the salt, it should be slightly overseasoned because the cheese and noodles will dilute it.
03 -
  • Use a metal spatula to cut and serve the lasagna, it glides through the layers without tearing them apart.
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
  • For the cleanest slices, make the lasagna a day ahead and reheat it, the layers set even more firmly overnight.
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