Best Classic And Simple Meat Lasagna Recipes

BEST CLASSIC LASAGNA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the meat sauce. Add beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.
• Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and the black pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.
• As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until well incorporated.
• Cook the pasta al dente, according to it's package directions.
• Assemble the lasagna. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, add a very thin layer of meat sauce (about 1/4 cup). Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 (level) cups of meat sauce. Repeat the layers twice.
• Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.
• Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 15 more minutes.
• Let the lasagna cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.

CLASSIC AND SIMPLE MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the lasagna noodles a few at a time, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Remove the noodles to a plate.
• Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook the meat, chopping it into small chunks as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
• In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined.
• Place 4 noodles side by side into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan; top with a layer of the tomato-basil sauce, a layer of ground beef mixture, and a layer of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice more, ending with a layer of sauce; sprinkle top with the mozzarella cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese has begun to brown, about 10 more minutes. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and olive oil; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Cook the ground beef and sausage in a large pot over medium heat; drain. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic salt, oregano, thyme, basil, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
• Ladle enough of the meat sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Form a layer atop the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese mixture and then ladle about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice more, topping with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven 90 minutes. Allow to sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium pot set over medium high heat. Add sausage, pork, and beef and cook until browned and almost done all the way through, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped onion. Cook until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
• Pour crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce into the pan, along with the salt, pepper, and herbs.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until thickened slightly. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking or casserole dish.
• In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the basil, salt and pepper.
• Spread a thin layer of meat sauce over the bottom of the pan. Top with a single layer of lasagna noodles, breaking a few as needed to cover entire pan. Dollop with ½ of the ricotta mixture and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat these layers one more time, using ½ of remaining meat sauce this time (not a thin layer).
• Add one more layer of noodles. Top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Top with parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 15-20 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

SIMPLY LASAGNA RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg, ricotta, parsley, 1-1/4 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Drain meat; return to skillet. Stir in pasta sauce. Add 1 cup water to empty sauce jar; cover with lid and shake well. Add to meat mixture; stir until blended.
• Spread 1 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1 cup of the remaining meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and cheeses. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 1 hour or until heated through, removing foil after 45 min. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.