HEARTY SAUSAGE AND CHEESE LASAGNA

Hearty Sausage and Cheese Lasagna image

During the holidays, it's nice to welcome friends and family into your home for a hearty meal of lasagna. Every bite is packed with cheese, sausage and sauce. -Gay Barker, Chanute, Kansas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner

Time 2h25m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 medium onions, chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 pound sliced part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon. Discard drippings in pan., Add onions to same pan; cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, celery, parsley, bay leaf, brown sugar, oregano, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf., Remove 1 cup sauce from pan. Stir cooked sausage into remaining sauce. Spread reserved sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of each of the following: sausage mixture, ricotta, mozzarella and provolone. Repeat layers (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 303 calories, Fat 18g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 57mg cholesterol, Sodium 715mg sodium, Carbohydrate 17g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 19g protein.