Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with our easy-to-follow, best homemade lasagna recipe! This delicious, cheesy delight, often searched as ‘easy lasagna recipe’, ‘best lasagna recipe’, or ‘homemade lasagna from scratch’, is sure to be a hit with families and food lovers alike. Perfect for cozy dinners or special occasions, this recipe features layers of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and perfectly cooked noodles, topped with gooey, melted cheese. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned chef, our step-by-step guide ensures you’ll create the most mouthwatering, ‘best lasagna ever’ every time. So why wait? Dive into this classic Italian dish that’s not just a meal, but an experience to cherish!
Ingredients:
- Lasagna noodles – about 12 sheets
- Ground beef – 1 pound
- Italian sausage – ½ pound (optional, can use more ground beef instead)
- Onion – 1, finely chopped
- Garlic cloves – 2, minced
- Canned crushed tomatoes – 1 (28-ounce) can
- Tomato paste – 1 (6-ounce) can
- Tomato sauce – 1 (15-ounce) can
- Water – ½ cup
- Sugar – 2 teaspoons (optional, to taste)
- Dried basil leaves – 2 teaspoons
- Fennel seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Italian seasoning – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Ground black pepper – to taste
- Fresh parsley – 4 tablespoons, chopped
- Ricotta cheese – 1 (16-ounce) container
- Egg – 1, beaten
- Mozzarella cheese – ¾ pound, sliced or shredded
- Parmesan cheese – ¾ cup, grated
Instructions:
- Prepare the Meat Sauce:
- Cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
- Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
- Simmer, covered, for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Lasagna Noodles:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.
- Prepare the Cheese Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with the egg, remaining parsley, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Layering the Lasagna:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.
- Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
- Top with a third of the mozzarella cheese slices.
- Spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake:
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes before serving.