Making memories (and a bit of a mess!) in the kitchen with my girls is one of my favorite things. We put together this yummy lasagna — it’s so good that we’re freezing a few pans to have a cozy, warm meal ready for those cooler days ahead. Here is our simplified take on this delicious classic.
INGREDIENTS:
For the cheese filling:
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese (could use cottage cheese in a bind)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
For the meat sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- ¾ lb. ground beef
- ¾ lb. ground Italian sausage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 40 oz. marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For assembly:
- 12 lasagna noodles (we used no-pre-boil noodles to save time!)
- 2.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Our Easy-Peasy Directions
- Make the cheese mix: In a medium bowl, mix all the “cheese filling” ingredients together. Set it aside.
- Cook the meat sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and soften the diced onions (about 10 minutes). Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it apart, and cook until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the garlic, followed by the chicken broth, marinara sauce, tomato paste, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer gently while you prep the noodles.
- Prep noodles and oven: While the sauce simmers, preheat your oven to 375°F. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain them and lay them flat so they don’t stick.
- Layer it up! Grab a 9×13 inch baking dish and let’s build!
- Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom.
- Add a layer of 4 noodles.
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top.
- Add about 1.5 cups of meat sauce.
- Repeat these layers two more times (noodles, ricotta, sauce).
- Finish with the last of the meat sauce and top it all off with the 2.5 cups of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake to perfection: Spray a sheet of foil with non-stick spray and cover the lasagna (spray-side-down, so the cheese doesn’t stick). Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden.
- Be patient! This is the hardest part. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it. This helps all the layers set.
Freezing for a cooler day: Assemble the lasagna completely in a freezer-safe pan, but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it completely in the fridge (this can take 24-48 hours), let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, and then bake as directed (you may need to add about 10 minutes to the ‘covered baking time’).