Homemade Lasagna With Meat Sauce Recipe

Prep vegetables

Finely dice the onion and celery and grate the carrot. Mince the garlic. Measure out spices and open cans so everything is ready.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil. When shimmering, add the diced onion, grated carrot and diced celery. Sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds more until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef and pork. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink and nicely browned, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper while cooking.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize and deepen the flavor.

If using, add 1/2 cup red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf and 1/2 tsp sugar (if using). Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered or partially covered, for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld. If the sauce reduces too far, add a splash of stock or water.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh basil if using. Keep warm while you prepare the cheese filling and assemble the lasagna.

In a medium bowl combine 2 cups ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 beaten egg, 2 tbs chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and a pinch (1/8 tsp) of freshly grated nutmeg if desired.

Mix until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the mixture seems very stiff, stir in 1–2 tbs milk to reach a spreadable consistency.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil.

If using regular (not no-boil) lasagna noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook noodles until just pliable (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions), drain and lay noodles flat on a sheet pan to prevent sticking. If using no-boil noodles, skip this step.

Spread 1/2–3/4 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking and to provide a base layer.

Layer 1: Place 3–4 lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce, slightly overlapping as needed to cover the surface.

Layer 2: Spread about one-third of the ricotta mixture (roughly 3/4 cup) evenly over the noodles.

Layer 3: Spoon about one-third of the meat sauce (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups) over the ricotta layer and spread evenly.

Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella and a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan over the sauce.

Repeat the noodle, ricotta, meat sauce and cheese layers two more times to make three total cheese/sauce layers. For a 9x13 dish this typically yields three layers: noodles (3–4), cheese, sauce, cheese; repeat; finish with noodles, sauce and the remaining 2 cups shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan on top.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil (to prevent sticking, tent the foil so it doesn't touch the cheese) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15–20 minutes, until the top is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown in spots.

If you want a deeply browned top, switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let the lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing — this helps the layers set and makes cleaner slices.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan if desired. Serve warm.