2020 has been a year of change and challenge and nothing off-sets that quite like comfort food. Over the weekend I made my first ever lasagna and it made me wonder why I haven't made this everyday for my entire life. HOLY HECK was it tasty and surprisingly very simple to make.
Before we get started, you'll need a baking dish, mixing bowl and cheese, lots and lots of cheese. This is a comfort food dish after all!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion -chopped
2 garlic cloves -minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt -divided
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning -divided
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves -divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley -divided
1lb sliced mozzarella cheese
15 oz. (1 3/4 cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese -divided
1 large egg
12 lasagna noodles
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the meat sauce. Add beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.
Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and the black pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.
As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until well incorporated.
Cook the lasagna noodles al dente, according to it’s package directions.
Assemble the lasagna. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, add a very thin layer of meat sauce (about 1/4 cup). Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 (level) cups of meat sauce, top with sliced mozzarella. Repeat the layers twice.
Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 15 more minutes.
Let the lasagna cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
Enjoy the most delicious lasagna you've ever tasted.