Description
A delicious and hearty lasagna made with layers of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 sheets lasagna noodles
- 500g ground beef
- 800g crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 450g ricotta cheese
- 400g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 150g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 handful fresh basil, chopped
- 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook Noodles: Cook the lasagna noodles as per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce:
- In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until transparent.
- Add ground beef, cook until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Stir in fresh basil.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture:
- In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 100g of mozzarella, half of the parmesan, and some parsley. Mix well.
- Assemble Lasagna:
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
- Place a layer of noodles over the sauce.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by a layer of meat sauce and a layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers (noodles, ricotta mixture, meat sauce, mozzarella).
- Top with a final layer of noodles, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake:
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Rest and Serve:
- Allow the lasagna to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- For added flavor, deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine before adding tomatoes.
- Letting the lasagna rest helps it hold its shape when cutting.
- You can make this dish a day ahead and refrigerate; flavors meld beautifully over time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg