World’s Best Lasagna Recipe – Italian Special
This lasagna recipe is a keeper, the one you’ll want to keep in your recipe binder forever. It features three layers of pasta, homemade meat sauce, creamy ricotta (with a secret trick), nutty Parmesan cheese, and gooey mozzarella. Every bite is a delightful mix of hot, meaty, cheesy, and saucy perfection. I’ve included comprehensive instructions on making lasagna, preparing it ahead of time, and freezing it for convenience.
- Prep Time30 min
- Cook Time2 hr 30 min
- Perform Time15 min
- Total Time3 hr 15 min
World's Best Lasagna Ingredients:
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 12 ounces lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup minced white or yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped or minced
- 28 ounces canned, no-salt-added crushed tomatoes and their juices
- 12 ounces canned, no-salt-added plain tomato paste
- 13 ounces canned, no-salt-added plain tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- 12 pieces dried lasagna pasta (each 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide and about 13 inches long)
- 1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 12 ounces low-fat mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for optional garnish
How to Make World's Best Lasagna
Heat the sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, breaking up any large clumps with a spatula, until the meat is browned and no longer pink. If desired, drain and discard the fat. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic, stirring to combine. Cook until the beef is fully browned and the onion has softened, breaking up any clumps as needed.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add the sugar, basil, fennel seed, Italian seasoning blend, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, and half of the parsley, stirring well. Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. This will yield about 6 1/2 cups of sauce.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then cook the lasagna noodles slightly less than the package directions indicate, so they are al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water, then separate and lay them out on a clean surface.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, remaining parsley, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until well mixed.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Have a 9-by-13-inch baking dish ready.
Spread 1 1/2 cups of the sauce evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange half of the cooked lasagna noodles lengthwise to completely cover the sauce, overlapping slightly. Use an offset spatula to spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then layer half of the mozzarella slices to cover the ricotta. Spread 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the mozzarella, then sprinkle half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the sauce.
Repeat the layers with the remaining lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella slices. Top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese evenly over the sauce.
Spray the underside of a piece of aluminum foil with cooking oil spray large enough to cover the lasagna. Seal the foil tightly around the edges of the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes until the top layer of cheese is nicely browned.
Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if desired.
