Ah, how I love a generous slice of homemade lasagna with its tender pasta, oozing cheeses, and perfectly-seasoned hearty meat sauce. Lasagna is one of my most beloved comfort foods and go-to dish when I have to feed a crowd. But my love of lasagna goes beyond its exquisite taste and versatility. Lasagna brings back memories of family gatherings with everyone laughing around the dinner table. And it reminds me of warm, cozy moments with my nearest and dearest. And although it’s a labor of love, the time spent in the kitchen is worth it when you hear the oohs, ahhs, and yums as everyone reaches for seconds!
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Easy Lasagna
Sauté Meat – Heat a large pot over medium heat, add a little olive oil, and then add the ground beef and pork. Break the meat up into small pieces with a spoon. If there’s any excess fat, remove it with a wooden spoon and discard it. (Photo 1)Add Seasonings – Add onion and garlic and stir until the meat is well browned. Stir in Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, fennel, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to taste.Tomatoes – Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, water, and chicken bouillon. (Photo 2)Simmer – Stir to combine and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce gets too thick, add ½ cup water. If the mixture gets too dry, add ¼ cup of tomato sauce. (Photo 3)Prepare the Noodles – Meanwhile, put lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large pan. Pour boiling water directly over them (you can stack them), ensuring each noodle is covered with water. Soak them for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.Prepare the Cheese – In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese with an egg, 2 tablespoons parsley, dried parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Photo 4)
Assembly – To start, divide the ricotta mixture and meat sauce into thirds. Spread about 1½ cups of your meat sauce at the bottom of the dish. Place noodles on top, lengthwise. Spread with ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with ¼ of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1½ cups of meat sauce over mozzarella. Repeat this two more times for a completed three layers. Lastly, place the final layer of pasta and top it with another cup of meat sauce to cover the pasta. Top with remaining mozzarella. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. (Photos 1-6)Bake – Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, taking out after 25 minutes to remove foil, then reinserting into the oven or until the cheese on top is golden brown. (Photo 6)
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
Lasagna isn’t a recipe you can throw together in 20 minutes or less. However, it’s great for planning ahead to save time. You can assemble and refrigerate it overnight. Then bring it to room temperature and bake! Additionally, you can freeze your baked lasagna in the pan or cut it up into individual servings. Let the lasagna cool completely on the countertop, then cover it with plastic wrap and freeze it for a month or two.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Lasagna always tastes better the next day, and you can refrigerate leftovers for five days. To reheat the lasagna in the pan, cover it with foil and warm it in the oven at 350°F/177℃ until hot and bubbly. To reheat individual slices, just pop them in the microwave. If you have a frozen lasagna, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in a 350°F/177℃ oven.
What to Serve With Lasagna
This amazingly easy lasagna recipe goes great with homemade breadsticks or pull-apart garlic bread rolls! A Greek salad adds crunch and freshness to the table, while sauteed Brussels sprouts kick up the nutrition.
More Hearty Casserole Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Homemade lasagna, with its gooey cheesiness and saucy deliciousness, creates comforting family traditions! What are some of your favorite lasagna night memories? Leave me a comment below and let me know!
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”P9zrQslz” upload-date=”2020-11-20T06:20:05.000Z” name=”Easy Lasagna” description=”Easy Lasagna – a classic hearty dinner made with layers of cheeses, lasagna noodles and rich meaty sauce baked until golden brown and bubbly. A fantastic casserole dish for causal family dinners or special occasions. And it’s a great make-ahead meal, too!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
▢ 2 tablespoons (28ml) olive oil▢ ¾ pound (340g) ground beef , lean▢ ¾ pound (340g) ground pork or Italian sausage▢ 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about ½ cup)▢ 1 tablespoon (8g) garlic, minced▢ 1 tablespoon (5g) Italian seasoning▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped▢ 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped▢ 1 teaspoon (2g) fennel seeds▢ ½ bay leaf▢ Salt and pepper to taste▢ 2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (with the juice)▢ 6 tablespoons (96g) tomato paste▢ 1 15-ounce jar tomato sauce▢ 1 tablespoon (17g) Worcestershire sauce▢ ½ cup (118ml) water▢ ½ teaspoon (1g) chicken bouillon
