Traditional Lasagna Recipe
Made with our homemade meatballs, mozzarella & ricotta cheese
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Ingredients
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Meatballs & Sauce
Cheese Filling
Pasta & Assembly
Method
Meatballs & Sauce
- 1
Make the meatball mixture
In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, finely chopped onion (reserve 1 tbsp onion for sauce if desired), minced garlic (reserve 1 clove for sauce), chopped parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix gently with hands until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- 2
Form and brown meatballs
Shape the mixture into meatballs about 1 1/4 inch (yield ~18-20). Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches, turning to get even color, about 2-3 minutes per side; they do not need to be fully cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- 3
Build the sauce
In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the reserved finely diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add minced garlic, dried oregano and dried basil; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
Simmer sauce with meatballs
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water or red wine. Add sugar if desired, and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 25-30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has slightly reduced. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cheese Filling
- 5
Prepare ricotta mixture
While sauce simmers, in a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, 1 egg, chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- 6
Shred cheeses
If not pre-shredded, shred the mozzarella and measure the grated Parmesan for layering and topping.
Pasta & Assembly
- 7
Prep noodles
If using regular dried lasagna noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles 1-2 minutes less than package directions so they hold shape (al dente). Drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled sheet to prevent sticking. If using no-boil noodles, skip boiling and follow package instructions.
- 8
Assemble lasagna
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread about 1 cup of sauce (with a few meatballs broken up) evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place a single layer of 3-4 lasagna noodles to cover the bottom. Spoon one-third of the ricotta mixture over noodles and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle about 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan over the ricotta. Spoon another layer of sauce (about 1 1/2 cups) with some meatballs. Repeat: noodles, ricotta layer, mozzarella/Parmesan, sauce for a second layer. Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce (evenly spread), remaining mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Gently press layers so they sit evenly.
- 9
Bake
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil (tent foil slightly so it does not touch cheese) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered another 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden at edges and sauce is simmering.
- 10
Rest and serve
Remove lasagna from oven and let rest 15 minutes to set (this makes slicing cleaner). Garnish with fresh basil leaves, slice into 8-10 portions and serve warm.