Lasagna Recipe | Recipes by Carina

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Provolone is often less expensive and still melts well.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Pecorino is often cheaper and adds a similar flavor.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is usually less expensive than beef.

Peel and dice a medium-sized onion into a medium to small dice.

Place a heavy-based fry pan over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the diced onions to the pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until they are translucent.

Crush two whole garlic cloves into the fry pan using a garlic press and cook for a further few minutes, stirring.

Add 500g (1 pound) of ground beef to the fry pan with the onions and garlic, turning the heat up to high.

Break the beef up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, ensuring it fries rather than stews.

Season the beef with a generous pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano once it starts to brown.

Add 1/3 cup of tomato paste to the fry pan and stir to combine.

Pour in two tins of chopped or crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.

Simmer the sauce at low heat for a minimum of 30 minutes, ideally 3-4 hours for the best flavor.

In a small bowl, add 250g (9 ounces) of ricotta cheese and crack in 1 medium-sized egg.

Grate in 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese and add a pinch of salt and nutmeg, then whisk until creamy.

Set the ricotta mixture aside or cover and refrigerate if making in advance.

To assemble the lasagna, use a 25 x 20cm (10 x 8 inch) baking dish and add about 1/2 cup of meat sauce to the bottom, spreading it out evenly.

Top with lasagna sheets to cover the meat sauce, overlapping if necessary.

Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the lasagna sheets.

Sprinkle 1/4 of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.

Add about 1 cup of meat sauce over the mozzarella and spread it out evenly.

Repeat the layering process two more times, finishing with lasagna sheets and covering with the remaining meat sauce.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the lasagna.

Bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 40-50 minutes, covering with foil if the top gets too brown.

Cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens