Name: Adriatic Cafe Italian Grill Spring TXs Homemade Beef Lasagna Recipe
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1.5 lb lean ground beef (80/20); 0.5 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (optional); 2 tbs tomato paste; 28 oz crushed tomatoes; 8 oz tomato sauce; 1 cup dry red wine (or beef broth); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried basil; 0.5 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.75 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 each bay leaf; 15 oz whole-milk ricotta; 1 each large egg; 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped; 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cup mozzarella, shredded (for filling); 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 12 each lasagna noodles, no-boil or boiled according to package; 1 cup marinara sauce (prepared) or reserved meat sauce; 2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (for topping); 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for topping); 2 tbs fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)

Method

Meat Sauce

Sauté aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil. When shimmering, add chopped onion and cook 5–7 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Brown meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and Italian sausage (if using) to the pan. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned with no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if the pan is very greasy, leaving a thin film for flavor.

Build sauce

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add red wine (or beef broth) and deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, sugar, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer gently for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning, removing bay leaf before assembly.

Cheese Filling

Mix ricotta filling

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, 1 cup shredded mozzarella (for the layers), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and cohesive. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Assembly & Baking

Prepare oven and pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick spray. If using boiled noodles, have them slightly undercooked so they finish in the oven.

First layer

Spread 1/2 cup of meat sauce or marinara on the bottom of the prepared dish to prevent sticking. Lay 4 lasagna noodles side-by-side to cover the bottom (use 3–4 depending on noodle size).

Cheese layer

Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles (about 1/3 of the filling). Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of the shredded mozzarella over the ricotta.

Repeat layers

Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce over the cheese layer. Add another layer of 4 noodles, then another third of the ricotta mixture, another 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella, and 1 cup meat sauce. Repeat a third time: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining 1 cup meat sauce. Top with a final layer of noodles if needed.

Top and cover

Spread the reserved marinara or remaining meat sauce (about 1 cup) evenly over the final noodle layer. Sprinkle the 2 cups shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan evenly across the top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil (to prevent cheese sticking to foil, tent foil or spray underside lightly).

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until cheese is bubbling and lightly golden and edges are simmering.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest uncovered for 15 minutes to set (this makes slicing cleaner). Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley if desired. Slice into 8 generous portions and serve.