Description
You deserve a truly comforting meal. This recipe delivers the ultimate homemade lasagna experience, featuring rich meat sauce, tender pasta, creamy ricotta filling, and plenty of melted mozzarella. It is a hearty family dinner classic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Prepare the meat sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir the marinara sauce into the beef mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it cook gently while you prepare the cheese mixture.
- Prepare the ricotta filling: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated.
- Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain them well.
- Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- Arrange four cooked noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping if necessary.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.
- Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.
- Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers: Place four more noodles on top of the sauce. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture, followed by another third of the mozzarella cheese.
- Top with the remaining meat sauce. Place the final four noodles on top of the sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan cheese over the top layer.
- Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Rest: Let the lasagna rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the layers set for cleaner slices.
Notes
- For cleaner slices, cover the lasagna with foil for the first part of baking, then remove the foil for the last 20 minutes to get that perfect golden-brown top.
- You can make this Million Dollar Lasagna recipe ahead of time. Assemble the entire dish, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 10 minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
- If you prefer a richer sauce, use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 17
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 95