Lasagna is always a family favorite, and for good reason. Classic homemade lasagna is a really comforting, very filling meal, and although it takes some effort to prepare, it’s easy to make and feed a large family. This traditional lasagna recipe features a simple meat and tomato sauce that alternates with delicious cheese and pasta for an incredible dish.
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Lasagna needs a little accompaniment, an addition. Serve with a fresh green salad for a contrast of color and texture. Or for a feast, serve with garlic bread.
To reduce the time for this recipe, you can prepare the sauce in advance. After cooking, cool and refrigerate for a day before pouring the lasagna into the baking dish. Thereafter, it only takes minutes to boil the pasta and assemble the dish before baking until done.
“Many lasagna recipes are extremely decadent dishes filled with cheese and béchamel sauce. This recipe takes a much lighter and simpler approach. Just a simple meat sauce, ricotta, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese all layered between the noodles. The dish turned out to be tasty, with a light freshness that I appreciated, rather than turning into an overly saturated intestinal bomb”.
Danielle Centoni
👩🍳 In some lasagna recipes, you need to add one or two eggs to the cheese filling so that the lasagna is better fixed and keeps its shape during cutting. Most traditional recipes do not include eggs in the filling.
👩🍳 There are several possible reasons for lasagna to become soup. If the sauce is not cooked until it is thick, it can add too much liquid to the mixture. Using different cheeses can add too much liquid – for this reason, thick ricotta and drained mozzarella are good. Baking lasagna under the lid for too long also prevents some liquid from evaporating, making the dish runny.
Best lasagna recipe
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Lasagna recipe
This traditional lasagna recipe features a simple meat and tomato sauce that alternates with delicious cheese and pasta to give you an incredible dish.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- Onion – 120 gr.
- Garlic – 2 cloves
- Olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.
- Minced beef – 450 gr.
- Tomato paste – 170 gr. (6 oz)
- Water – 2 glasses
- Tomatoes – 800 gr. (28 oz)
- Salt – 2 tsp.
- Dried basil – 1/4 tsp.
- Cayenne pepper – 1 pinch
- Bay leaf – 1 pc.
For lasagna
- Pasta – 225 gr. (8 oz lasagna sheets)
- Salt – to your taste
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp. l.
- Low-fat ricotta cheese – 450 gr. (16 oz)
- Parmesan cheese – 80 gr. (1/3 cup)
- Mozzarella cheese – 450 gr. (16 oz)
Instructions
The sauce is prepared in about 30 minutes. In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic, and spices in 3 tablespoons olive oil until the onion is soft.
Add minced beef and fry, stirring often.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until bubbling, about 3 minutes. Add water, tomatoes, salt, basil, cayenne and bay leaf. Stir well. If you use fresh tomatoes (rather than chopped ones canned in their juice), then cut them finely, removing the stalk.
Reduce heat to low and simmer slowly, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Bring a full pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the lasagna sheets and cook as directed on the package, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Strain and gently toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 180 C and take a large 3 liter rectangular dish.
Pour 4–6 tablespoons of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish, or enough to cover the bottom.
Spread one layer of pasta on top. Spoon about 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the pasta.
Spread about 1/2 of the ricotta cheese evenly over the sauce, then sprinkle a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over it. Add about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat with the other 1/3 of the pasta, another 1/3 of the sauce, the remaining ricotta cheese, another 1/3 of the mozzarella, and a few tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.
Finish with a final layer of noodles, remaining sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.
Bake the lasagna uncovered for 45 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly or the noodles are burning, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Your lasagna is ready!
Bon appétit!
Notes
If you use fresh tomatoes (rather than chopped ones canned in their juice), then cut them finely, removing the stalk.
You can replace the ground beef in the sauce with ground turkey or, for a more flavorful option, with Italian sausage.
To make gluten-free lasagna, use gluten-free pasta.
Use vegetarian meat or replace the ground beef with chopped mushrooms for a vegetarian lasagna.
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Nutrition Information
Serving Size
6 servingsAmount Per Serving Calories 775Total Fat 47gSaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 155mgSodium 1786mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 5gSugar 11gProtein 53g
If you like to cook according to our recipes, check out other delicious recipes on our website: a recipe for crispy fried potatoes with garlic, banana bread, or a recipe for a simple homemade coleslaw. Please share this recipe on social networks or leave a comment on the website.
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