This recipe was a big hit in my family! Lasagna is one of those dishes that takes a bit of time and love to prepare, but trust me, the payoff is worth it! Whether you’re making it for a family gathering or a cozy dinner at home, the layers of rich sauce, gooey cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta come together in a way that’s simply irresistible.
Original recipe from John Chandler
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Ingredients:
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
- To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes:
- Prep Time 30 mins
- Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
- Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins
- Makes 12 servings