Ahhh, lasagna — the ultimate comfort classic 🍝❤️
Here’s a rich, crowd-pleasing homemade lasagna that’s not fussy and always hits.
Classic Beef & Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef (or half beef / half Italian sausage)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara or pasta sauce
- 1 can (14–15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Cheese Layer
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Other
- 9–12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven-ready)
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the noodles
Boil noodles in salted water until just al dente. Drain and lay flat. - Make the sauce
Heat olive oil in a skillet.
Brown beef with onion until cooked. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
Stir in marinara, crushed tomatoes, seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Simmer 10–15 minutes. - Mix the cheese layer
Combine ricotta, egg, 1½ cups mozzarella, Parmesan, and parsley. - Assemble
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9×13 dish
- Layer noodles
- Spread ricotta mixture
- Add meat sauce
- Repeat layers
- Finish with sauce + remaining mozzarella
- Bake
- Cover with foil → 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes
- Uncover → bake 15–20 minutes until bubbly
- Rest
Let stand 10–15 minutes before slicing (worth the wait!).
Make It Your Way
- Extra cheesy: add provolone or more mozzarella
- Veggie: layer in sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, spinach
- No-boil noodles: add ½ cup extra sauce and cover tightly
- White lasagna: swap red sauce for Alfredo + chicken
Freezer Friendly
- Assemble unbaked → freeze up to 3 months
- Bake from frozen at 375°F, covered, ~75–90 minutes
If you want a classic Italian-style, slow cooker, small-batch, or super saucy version, just tell me 😄
