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Lasagna

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The Most DELICIOUS Homemade Lasagna Recipe.. The perfect balance between layers of cheese, noodles, and Homemade Sunday Sauce is perfection!

Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna

My guys have declared this easy to prepare Homemade Lasagna Recipe the BEST EVER.

My husband is from Italian heritage and has a family recipe for Homemade Sunday Sauce (Bolognese) that has been handed down over generations.

Our bolognese Sunday Sauce is a meat based sauce.

The recipe uses a combination of lean ground beef and Maple Flavored ground sausage.

You can also use ground Italian Sausage, but we’ve adapted it due to taste preference, and when others eat it, they always want to know what my secret ingredient it. – It’s the maple flavored sausage!

The sauce builds flavor with diced onion, minced garlic and a variety of spices and seasonings.

Lasagna Recipe

When preparing the Sunday Sauce, the key is to let it simmer for quite some time.

The sauce develops flavor over time as it simmers.

It needs to be simmered for a minimum of 2 hours to give you the most amazing flavor combination, but you can simmer it up to 4 hours for maximum flavor results.

It’s worth every second and doesn’t require much effort at all. Just stir occasionally!

If you don’t want to leave it simmering on the stove, you can always transfer it all to a crockpot and simmer it in there on high for 4 hours.

Lasagna Recipe

Another important factor in a Lasagna Recipe is CHEESE!

This recipe combines 3 different cheeses.

Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella.

You can choose the quality of cheese that best matches your budget.

Higher quality cheese results in better flavor, but that can get expensive!

 

Lasagna Recipe

TIP: Use a DEEP Baking Dish and/or place pan on a baking sheet lined with foil when baking. Should it bubble over, it will make clean up SO MUCH EASIER!

Yield: 8

Lasagna

Lasagna Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Sauce*
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 4-5 minced garlic cloves
  • EVOO
  • 8 oz Italian Style sausage I get mine at the butcher without casings
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 35 oz can chopped Italian tomatoes
  • 1 28 oz can tomato puree
  • basil to taste
  • 1 box lasagna noodles
  • 2 pounds ricotta cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • basil to taste
  • 12 oz sliced mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.

In a saucepan, cook the onions and garlic until they are soft and a golden brown. Add the beef and sausage, breaking into little bits. Salt, pepper, basil to taste. Drain the excess fat. Add the chopped tomatoes and puree, bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low, stir occasionally, and let it thicken up. If it is too acidic, add a bit of sugar to break it up. We let ours simmer 2-3 hours.

I buy ready to bake lasagna noodles, but if you don't, prepare them now.

In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with some salt and pepper, to taste.

Spread a thin layer of sauce (see above) in the bottom of your baking pan. Mine is 9 x 13. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of your ricotta mixture (because we are making 3 layers, adjust yours accordingly). Sprinkle with some grated and sliced cheese. *you can add or change the cheeses according to your taste*. Repeat twice for the other two layers. I add extra cheeses to the top layer.

Bake for about 45 minutes in the oven. I have to cover mine with a foil tent top because my oven will burn it. I check it at 45 minutes, and sometimes I have to cook it a little more if it isn't done, you know your oven and how it cooks;) Mine usually needs a little more time to make it bubble around the edges, but at 45 minutes I remove the foil so the top will turn the gorgeous golden brown color.

Let it stand for a few minutes while you cook some garlic bread to go with it! Then, viola! dinner is served.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 670Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 1015mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 48g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below & if you recreate this recipe, be sure to share a photo on Instagram. Tag me @when.is.dinner and hashtag #whenisdinner!

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS:

How To Freeze Lasagna (Before Baking): Prepare as instructed, up to the point of baking.  Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap. Next, wrap the pan with aluminum foil, and freeze the whole pan for up to 3 months.  LABEL THE FREEZE DATE AND USE BY DATE! When ready to use, remove the pan from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  REMOVE PLASTIC WRAP, Then bake according to the instructions above.

How To Freeze Lasagna (After Baking): You can freeze a whole pan or individual servings. When the lasagna has cooled to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil (or use freezer safe storage containers). LABEL THE FREEZE DATE AND USE BY DATE, then store for up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove the pan from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. REMOVE PLASTIC WRAP, then Bake at 350 until it’s heated through (165 on a food thermometer), then bake another 5-10 minutes with the foil removed so the top can crisp up in the oven before serving.

 

These are a few items I find helpful when preparing Lasagna in my own kitchen:

Cuisinart 619-14 Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 1-Quart Saucepan with CoverCuisinart 619-14 Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 1-Quart Saucepan with CoverCuisinart 619-14 Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 1-Quart Saucepan with CoverOXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon WhiskOXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon WhiskOXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon WhiskLodge Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned and Ready for Stove Top or Oven Use, 10.25Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned and Ready for Stove Top or Oven Use, 10.25Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned and Ready for Stove Top or Oven Use, 10.25Anchor Hocking 8-InchSquare Glass Baking Dish with Teal TrueFit LidAnchor Hocking 8-InchSquare Glass Baking Dish with Teal TrueFit LidAnchor Hocking 8-InchSquare Glass Baking Dish with Teal TrueFit LidEssentials of Classic Italian CookingEssentials of Classic Italian CookingEssentials of Classic Italian CookingLidia's Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party: A CookbookLidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party: A CookbookLidia's Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party: A CookbookThe 5-Ingredient Italian Cookbook: 101 Regional Classics Made SimpleThe 5-Ingredient Italian Cookbook: 101 Regional Classics Made SimpleThe 5-Ingredient Italian Cookbook: 101 Regional Classics Made Simple

Don’t miss these other delicious Pasta Recipes at When Is Dinner:

 

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Mippy/Sabrina

Sunday 20th of October 2013

This looks delicious! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe! :)

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