Comfort Food Lasagna Ricotta (Printable)

Hearty Italian-style lasagna layered with meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella, perfect for comforting meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat Sauce

01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 0.5 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
06 - 15 ounces tomato sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 0.5 teaspoon sugar
13 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Cheese Mixture

14 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
19 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

20 - 12 lasagna noodles
21 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - Olive oil for sautéing

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions if using regular noodles. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
06 - Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over noodles, top with 1 cup meat sauce, then sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat this sequence twice more, finishing with remaining sauce and mozzarella on top.
07 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
09 - Allow lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving to ensure portions hold together.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough to feed a crowd without stress.
  • The layers transform simple ingredients into something that tastes like it took hours, even though you're mostly just assembling.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, so you're not scrambling to use up extras.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the resting time—I learned this the hard way when I cut into a lasagna too early and watched it collapse into a saucy puddle on the plate.
  • The meat sauce is better made a day ahead if you have the time; flavors deepen overnight and you're less rushed when assembling.
03 -
  • If your meat sauce seems thin after simmering, keep the heat on and cook it uncovered longer until it reduces to a thicker consistency that won't make your lasagna watery.
  • Shred your own mozzarella from a block if you can—pre-shredded cheese has anticaking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly and beautifully.
Return