What is the correct order to layer lasagna?

In a 9 x 13 baking dish with a thin layer of marinara, start with a layer of lasagna noodles, then the ricotta cheese mixture, and finally the meat sauce. Repeat twice.

How is lasagna made in Italy?

In southern Italy lasagna is made with dried sheets of pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella, much like this recipe! In northern Italy, it is common to see lasagna made with fresh egg pasta colored green with spinach and layered with meat sauce, bechamel, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

What is the difference between lasagne and lasagna?

Lasagna is the Italian word for a single flat sheet of pasta. Lasagne refers to the dish as a whole.

Does lasagna have 2 or 3 layers?

Lasagna typically has 3-4 layers. Here we do 3 layers, which we find to be ideal!

What do Italians use instead of ricotta in lasagna?

Italians do use ricotta, but you will also see Italian lasagna made with béchamel sauce instead.

Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered?

For 45 minutes of baking time, the pan should be covered with foil. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes before broiling.

Traditional Lasagna Recipe

Name: Classic Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 12 lasagna noodles: oven-ready or no-cook noodles (we used Rummo oven-ready lasagna noodles)– or use regular lasagna noodles and boil to al dente. ( You’ll need enough for 4 layers of noodles); Optional garnish: sprinkle with fresh basil or Italian parsley.; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ pound ground beef (or sub-ground turkey); ½ pound ground pork (you can use all ground beef, or ground lamb, turkey or a meat substitute); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried sage (or Italian seasoning); ½ teaspoon ground fennel (or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds); ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); 40 ounces marinara sauce (5 cups), divided. ( This is slightly less than two jars of store-bought); 1/4 cup broth (omit if using preboiled pasta noodles)- use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth. This extra liquid ensures the no-cook noodles get perfectly tender.; 15 ounces ricotta cheese (or sub vegan tofu ricotta- If using the tofu ricotta, no need to add more salt or egg.) *see notes for using cottage cheese; 1 egg; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese, divided; 2 & ½ cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

Description

This classic lasagna recipe is absolutly delectable! Made with a rich tomato-meat sauce, three kinds of cheeses, and savory Italian spices, it’s easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Units

12 lasagna noodles: oven-ready or no-cook noodles (we used Rummo oven-ready lasagna noodles)- or use regular lasagna noodles and boil to al dente. ( You’ll need enough for 4 layers of noodles)
Optional garnish: sprinkle with fresh basil or Italian parsley.

Meat Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound ground beef (or sub-ground turkey)
1/2 pound ground pork (you can use all ground beef, or ground lamb, turkey or a meat substitute)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage (or Italian seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel (or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
40 ounces marinara sauce (5 cups), divided. ( This is slightly less than two jars of store-bought)
1/4 cup broth (omit if using preboiled pasta noodles)- use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth. This extra liquid ensures the no-cook noodles get perfectly tender.

Ricotta Cheese Filling

15 ounces ricotta cheese (or sub vegan tofu ricotta- If using the tofu ricotta, no need to add more salt or egg.) *see notes for using cottage cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese, divided
2 & 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

Set the oven to 350F
Make the Italian Sausage: Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet until softened, 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir in for a minute. Add ground beef, pork, salt, pepper, oregano, sage, fennel, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir regularly, incorporating the spices into the meat for 7- 8 minutes until the meat browns.
Meat Sauce: Add 3 cups of the marinara sauce and the broth to the browned meat. (Reserve two cups of plain marinara for the bottom and very top of the lasagna.) Cover, simmer five minutes and remove from heat. You’ll have 4 ½-5 cups of meat sauce. Tip: Taste; if it tastes acidic, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or honey to taste.
Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (we aren’t adding all of the cheese here-saving part of the cheese for the top) and stir until combined. Save the remaining cheese for the top of the lasagna.
Assemble Lasagna: Spread one cup of the reserved marinara on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly on the noodles, the spread 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce. Repeat this layering sequence 2 more times, pressing down lightly with each layer.
For the top layer, place the last of the lasagna noodles, spread the remaining reserved marinara over the noodles, sprinkle with parmesan, and lastly, sprinkle with the mozzarella.
Bake: Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil, so the foil doesn’t touch the lasagna. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes or until bubbling. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes until golden. Optional: Broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese gets bubbly and brown, keep a close eye!
Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Tip: Prep the lasagna in stages over a few days. Make homemade marinara sauce 3 days ahead, make the meat sauce 2 days ahead, make the cheese mixture 1 day ahead. Assemble and bake in no time!

Short on time? Skip making the sausage and buy 1 pound of premade sweet Italian sausage or 1/2 each sausage and beef. Adjust salt to taste. Saute with onions and garlic for the best flavor.

If you prefer cottage cheese over ricotta, strain it first if it’s juicy.

Lasagna can be assembled up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge before baking. Let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats for about 30 minutes and add 10 minutes to covered baking time.

Freeze unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen lasagna in the fridge overnight before baking. Freeze baked lasagna for up to 3 months and thaw completely before reheating.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 piece (1/12th of the lasagna)
Calories: 363
Sugar: 7.5 g
Sodium: 506.4 mg
Fat: 12.6 g
Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
Carbohydrates: 34.2 g
Fiber: 5.3 g
Protein: 26 g
Cholesterol: 68.5 mg