Lasagna With Meat Sauce Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil. When shimmering, add the finely chopped onion, grated carrot, and chopped celery. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic and brown meats

Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and add both the ground beef and ground pork. Break the meat up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if the pan has more than a tablespoon; leave a little for flavor.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Add the red wine (if using) and simmer until mostly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and stock. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, sugar, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered or partially covered, for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors concentrate. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of stock or water. Taste and adjust seasoning near the end; remove bay leaf and stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley.

Combine cheeses and seasoning

While the sauce simmers, whisk the ricotta in a medium bowl to loosen it. Add 1 large egg, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tbs chopped parsley, 2 tbs chopped basil (if using), 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Fold in 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella (reserve 1 cup for topping). Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Rest

Cover the ricotta mixture and set aside at room temperature while you preheat the oven and assemble the lasagna.

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish with the olive oil spray or a brush of oil to prevent sticking.

Assemble first layer

Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish to prevent sticking. Lay 4 lasagna sheets in a single layer over the sauce (slightly overlapping if needed). If using no-boil noodles, ensure they are well-covered with sauce so they can hydrate while baking.

Add cheese and sauce layers

Spoon and spread about one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups). Sprinkle about 1/3 of the remaining shredded mozzarella (about 1 cup) over the ricotta. Spoon another 1 to 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce over the cheese layer, spreading evenly.

Repeat layers

Repeat the noodle, ricotta, mozzarella, and meat sauce layering two more times: second layer of 4 noodles, one-third ricotta, one-third mozzarella, meat sauce; third and final layer of 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining mozzarella (reserve a little for the top) and meat sauce. The top should be sauce-covered to keep noodles moist.

Finish and bake

Sprinkle the final 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan evenly over the top. Tent the dish loosely with aluminum foil (shiny side down) to prevent excessive browning. Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15–20 minutes until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden and sauce is simmering at the edges. Total bake time about 40–45 minutes.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest uncovered for 15 minutes to set (this helps with cleaner slices). Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired. Cut into 8–12 pieces and serve warm.