Oct 16, 20202 min read

Classic Ricotta Cheese Lasagna

A layer of Italy and fun! With noodles, ground beef, sweet Italian sausage, sauce, and cheese, lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. A hearty main dish, this lasagna can be baked ahead of time or right away.

Authentic ground beef lasagna and easy to prepare! It’s loaded with three layers of pasta, homemade meat sauce, creamy ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. It takes some work, but it is worth it.

Prep. Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time: 3 h

Servings: 12

Ingredients

450g (1 pound) bulk sweet Italian sausage
350g (¾ pound) lean ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (800g/28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
240g (6 ounce) tomato paste
185g (6.5 ounce) canned tomato sauce
½ cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley (4 tablespoons), chopped, divided
12 lasagna noodles

Cheese Filling

425g (16 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 egg
25g (¾ pound) mozzarella cheese, sliced
100g ( aprox.¾ cup) grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. In a Dutch oven, or a large pot, cook ground beef, sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper - to taste, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, al dente. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

To Assemble

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and salt to taste.

4. In a deep ovenproof 9x13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of meat sauce. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon another layer of meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes or until golden. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.