Lasagna Recipe

Prepare aromatics and brown meat

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. When shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef and sausage. Break meat up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink, about 7–9 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan for flavor.

Build the sauce

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize. Add the crushed tomatoes (28 oz), tomato sauce (8 oz) and red wine (1 cup, if using). Stir to combine. Add dried oregano, dried basil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors concentrate. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Remove bay leaf before assembling.

Combine cheeses

In a medium bowl combine 15 oz ricotta, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 4 cups shredded mozzarella (reserve 1 cup for topping and use the rest in layers), 1 large egg, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 tbsp chopped basil (if using), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/8 tsp nutmeg. Stir until smooth and evenly mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning — the mixture should be slightly seasoned because the sauce and pasta will also add salt.

Cook noodles (if using regular noodles)

If using regular lasagna noodles (not no-boil), bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tsp olive oil. Add noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions, usually 8–10 minutes. Drain and lay noodles flat on a sheet pan or clean towel to avoid sticking. If using no-boil noodles, skip this step.

Preheat oven and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick spray.

Assemble lasagna

Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan to prevent sticking. Place a layer of 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce (overlap slightly as needed). Spread about one-third of the cheese filling evenly over the noodles (about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture). Spoon about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of meat sauce over the cheese layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 1 heaping cup of shredded mozzarella (from the reserved amount) across the sauce. Repeat to form a second layer: noodles, 1/3 cheese filling, 1 to 1 1/4 cups meat sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella. For the final top layer, place remaining noodles, then spread remaining cheese filling, top with the remaining meat sauce and the final 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle 1/4 cup grated Parmesan over the very top.

Bake

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil (to prevent cheese sticking, tent foil so it does not touch the cheese). Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden and edges are bubbling. If top is browning too quickly, loosely tent again.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes (up to 30 minutes) before slicing — this helps the layers set and yields cleaner slices. Cut into 8–12 portions. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Serve with a simple green salad and/or garlic bread, if desired.