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A slice of lasagna with layers of pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese is served on a white plate. In the background, a glass baking dish with more lasagna is visible on a wooden table.
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Homemade Cheese and Beef Lasagna Recipe

Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
WORK TIME30 minutes
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 yields

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

  • 1¾ pounds 800g Ground beef or combination of ground beef and Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 42 oz 1200g Homemade tomato sauce
  • 4 tablespoons 60g Tomato paste
  • ½ cup 120ml water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the cheese filling:

  • 30 oz 840g Ricotta
  • 1 pound 450g Mozzarella, divided
  • 4 oz 115g Parmesan, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 Egg
  • ¼ cup Parsley chopped
  • Lasagna sheets

Instructions

  • DIRECTIONS
    1. In a large pan or pot over medium heat, add olive oil and heat, add ground beef. Cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Cook until meat is browned. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Add bay leaves, Stir and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour. Remove bay leaves and set aside.
    2. Meanwhile make the cheese mixture: in a large bowl, whisk ricotta, egg, 1/2 of the parmesan, 2/3 of the mozzarella, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chopped herbs. Set aside.
    3. cook the lasagna sheets for 1-2 minutes and transfer to a cold water.
    4. Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
    5. Assembly: spread 1/4 of the meat mixture in the bottom of 13X9” (32X22cm) baking dish, layer pasta sheets, spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture, spread another 1/4 of the meat mixture. Repeat layering two more times (3 layers in total). Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
    6. Bake, covered for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 20-25 minutes.
    7. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.
    Notes:
    • You can skip the boiling noodles stage and use no-boil lasagna noodles. I find that boiling them makes a better lasagna, but it’s up to you.
    • If your cheese mixture to thick, you can add another egg.
    Check out the Classic Lasagna Recipe with white sauce. 
    More Dinner Recipes you may like.

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