The Most Amazing Lasagna

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese lowers fat content while maintaining creaminess.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat, while provolone is usually cheaper.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino Romano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while Pecorino is often more affordable.

Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground Italian sausage into a large pot over medium heat.

Break up the meat with a spoon and cook until browned.

Add 1 large minced white onion and 5 crushed garlic cloves to the pot and stir.

Cook until the meat is fully cooked and the onion is translucent.

Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seed, 1 teaspoon of ground oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pot and stir.

Add 1/2 cup of freshly chopped basil and 1/4 cup of freshly chopped parsley, then stir again.

Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes, 15 ounces of tomato sauce, and 2 six-ounce cans of tomato paste into the pot and stir.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours for more flavor.

While the sauce simmers, take a 9 by 13 pan and place lasagna noodles at the bottom.

Pour hot water (about 8 cups) over the noodles to cover them completely and let them soak for 30 minutes.

In a bowl, combine 30 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley; mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Once the sauce is done, start layering the lasagna by spreading about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the 9 by 13 pan.

Layer 4 sheets of soaked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping them.

Spread about a third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then layer on slices of mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of meat sauce (about 1 to 1.5 cups) over the mozzarella, then sprinkle about 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of meat sauce and mozzarella on top.

Bake in a 375°F oven for about 50 minutes, removing the aluminum foil halfway through to allow the cheese to brown.

Let the lasagna rest before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens