Worlds Best Lasagna (Printable)

Comforting Italian classic with tender pasta, savory meat sauce, ricotta, and golden melted cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta & Cheese

01 - 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
02 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meat Sauce

06 - 1 lb ground beef, lean
07 - 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
08 - 4 cups marinara sauce
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to reach temperature before assembling.
02 - Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to skillet, breaking apart with spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes until meat is fully browned. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Simmer for 10 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - In mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg. Mix until smooth and uniform.
06 - Spread thin layer of meat sauce on bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish.
07 - Arrange 4 lasagna noodles in single layer, slightly overlapping to cover sauce.
08 - Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with one-third of mozzarella cheese, then additional meat sauce.
09 - Place final 4 noodles on top. Spread remaining meat sauce and cover with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
10 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
12 - Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This allows layers to set for clean portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The uncooked noodles soak up all the sauce while baking, creating impossibly tender layers without the hassle of boiling water.
  • It feeds a crowd with minimal active effort, leaving you free to actually enjoy your guests instead of hovering over the stove.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when all the flavors have had time to really become friends.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after baking or you will end up with a beautiful mess on the plate instead of neat, layered slices.
  • If your noodles poke up above the sauce, they will bake into crunchy shards, so make sure everything is well covered before the foil goes on.
  • Draining the meat properly is crucial because excess grease will pool on top and make the whole dish feel heavy and greasy instead of rich and satisfying.
03 -
  • Invest in a sturdy metal spatula with a sharp edge for cutting and serving clean slices without them falling apart on the way to the plate.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, bake in two separate dishes instead of one giant pan so everything cooks evenly and you can freeze one for later.
  • Brush the foil with a little olive oil before covering the lasagna to prevent the cheese from sticking and tearing when you remove it.
Go Back