#4 Lasagna Special Recipe

Sauté aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil. When shimmering, add the chopped onion and sauté 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Brown meats

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces. Cook 6–8 minutes until no longer pink and beginning to brown. Drain excess fat if the pan is very greasy (reserve 1 tbs fat for flavor if desired).

Simmer sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 1 cup water until combined. Add dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Combine cheeses

While the sauce simmers, in a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon milk or cream, the large egg, grated Parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Set aside.

If using traditional (non-oven-ready) lasagna noodles: bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add noodles in batches and cook 1–2 minutes less than package directions so they remain slightly firm (al dente). Drain and lay noodles flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet or towel to prevent sticking. If using oven-ready noodles, skip this step.

Preheat and prepare pan

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

Layer lasagna

Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay 4 lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce (for oven-ready noodles, use as-is; for boiled noodles, dry slightly before layering). Spoon and spread half of the ricotta mixture (about 3/4 cup per row) over the noodles in an even layer. Sprinkle about 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over the cheese layer and spread gently. Repeat: add another layer of 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, another 1 1/4 cups mozzarella, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Top with final 4 noodles, remaining sauce spread evenly, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over the top.

Cover and bake

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil (tent slightly so cheese doesn't stick to foil) and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden and internal temperature reaches about 165°F (74°C). If you prefer a browned top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes while watching carefully.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes to set (this makes slicing cleaner). Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Slice into 12 portions and serve.