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–+ servings

Classic Lasagna

This classic lasagna is filled with layers of hearty, homemade Bolognese sauce and gooey, melted cheese. A quintessential comfort food, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner or make-ahead meal for a crowd.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Category Savory

Ingredients
 

For the Bolognese Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ¾ lb hot Italian sausage, uncased (or mild; see Note below)
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in purée (preferably San Marzano)
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ cup red wine (full-bodied and dry)
  • ¼ cup basil, julienned (plus more for serving)

For the Ricotta Mixture

  • 3 cups (24oz) full-fat ricotta
  • 5oz (140g) full-fat goat cheese (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (large grated)
  • 2 heaping Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten

For the Lasagna

  • 1 lb (454g) lasagna noodles (you won't need the whole box)
  • 1 lb (454g) fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (large grated)

Instructions

Preparing the Bolognese Sauce (recipe also here)

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil over moderate heat. Add in chopped onions and cook until slightly softened (about 2 to 3 minutes).
    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
  • Add in the ground beef and uncased sausage, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spoon. Cook the meat until fully cooked and no pink remains (about 5 to 8 minutes).
    1 lb ground beef
    ¾ lb hot Italian sausage, uncased
  • Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant (about 2 to 3 minutes).
    ⅓ cup tomato paste
    4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • Meanwhile, drain any excess liquid from the tomato cans (see Note below). On a plate, dice the tomatoes.
    2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in purée
  • Add in the diced tomatoes, together with any remaining purée or juices.
    Pro tip: Some canned tomatoes are packed in tomato juice, and others in tomato purée. If the liquid the tomatoes are packed in is watery, drain out the excess liquid or simmer for a bit longer to reduce the sauce. You can skip this step if your tomatoes are packed in purée.
  • Stir in the salt, pepper, and red wine.
    1 Tbsp kosher salt
    ½ tsp ground black pepper
    ½ cup red wine
  • Bring the sauce to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce reduces, thickens, and becomes richer in color (about 50 minutes).
    Pro tip: Simmering the sauce for at least 50 minutes allows the sugars in the tomatoes to break down and caramelize, leading to a deeper flavor and thicker consistency. Tomato-based sauces that haven't been allowed to simmer long enough tend to have an acidic taste. If you find your sauce still has an acidic taste, you can simmer it for longer or stir in 1–2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.
  • Stir in the basil. Taste sauce, and check for proper seasoning.
    ¼ cup basil, julienned
  • Set Bolognese sauce aside while preparing the ricotta mixture and lasagna noodles.

Preparing the Ricotta Mixture

  • In a large bowl, combine ricotta, goat cheese (optional), and grated Parmesan. With a fork, stir until well combined.
    3 cups (24oz) full-fat ricotta
    5oz (140g) full-fat goat cheese
    1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • Stir in chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning (before adding in the eggs).
    2 heaping Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
    ¾ tsp kosher salt
    ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • Add in beaten eggs and stir in until mixture is well combined. Set aside.
    2 large eggs, beaten

Assembling and Baking the Lasagna

  • Preheat oven to 375℉.
  • Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with olive oil. (This will help prevent the lasagna noodles from sticking.)
  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to the package directions — just short of al dente (they will continue to cook in the oven). Drain the noodles and lay them out on a piece of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. (Note: If desired, you can also use oven-ready or no-boil lasagna noodles.)
  • Spread a thin layer of the Bolognese sauce (about 1 to 1 ½ cups) on the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of noodles and half of the ricotta mixture. Add another layer of sauce (1 ½ to 2 cups), another layer of noodles, and then the second half of the ricotta mixture. Add a third layer of sauce (1 ½ to 2 cups), a third layer of noodles, and a final thin layer of sauce on top (1 to 1 ½ cups). Finally, top the dish with the sliced fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.
    To summarize: thin sauce layer, noodles, ½ ricotta mixture, sauce layer, noodles, remaining ½ ricotta mixture, sauce layer, noodles, thin sauce layer, sliced mozzarella, grated Parmesan.
  • Bake in the center of the oven until bubbly and golden brown (about 30 to 35 minutes). I recommend allowing it to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving, so that it holds together better while cutting.

Notes

  1. Tomatoes: Some canned tomatoes are packed in tomato juice, and others in tomato purée. If the liquid the tomatoes are packed in is watery, drain out the excess liquid or simmer for a bit longer to reduce the sauce. You can skip this step if your tomatoes are packed in purée.
  2. Sausage: You can easily replace the hot Italian sausages with more mild-flavored sausages, as desired — although I don't find that using hot Italian sausages makes the sauce particularly spicy. You can also replace the sausages altogether with ¾ lb ground beef, 2 teaspoons of freshly chopped fennel seeds, and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
  3. Taste as you go! Different brands of sausage, tomatoes, and cheeses contain different amounts of salt and spices. Always be sure to taste and adjust as you move through a recipe to get it just right!

Nutrition

Calories: 1060kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 2631mg | Potassium: 950mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1676IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 806mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Disclaimer