Classic Weeknight Lasagna
Comforting and easy lasagna for a cozy evening
Prep 30 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Total 2 hr
Serves 8
Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food that brings warmth and satisfaction to any table. This version simplifies the process without sacrificing flavor, making it a perfect choice for a weeknight dinner that feels like Sunday at home.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 0.75 pound lean ground beef
- 0.5 cup minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (one can)
- 13 ounces tomato sauce (two 6.5-ounce cans)
- 12 ounces tomato paste (two 6-ounce cans)
- 0.5 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (divided)
- 1.5 teaspoons dried basil
- 1.5 teaspoons salt (divided)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 0.75 pound mozzarella cheese (sliced)
- 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage, ground beef, chopped onion, and crushed garlic until the meat is browned and the onion is soft. Drain excess fat.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water to the meat mixture. Stir in sugar, half the parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt. Mix well.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Spread about 1 and a half cups of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer 6 lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with one-third of the mozzarella slices. Spoon 1 and a half cups of meat sauce over the cheese, and sprinkle with a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the layers: noodles, remaining ricotta, one-third mozzarella, sauce, and Parmesan. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Cover the dish with foil, making sure the foil does not touch the cheese by lightly spraying it with cooking spray or tenting it.
- Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
- Let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes before slicing to help it set and make serving easier.
Pro tip: To keep the foil from sticking to the cheese while baking, lightly spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray or create a tent so it doesn’t touch the surface.
Nutrition
This recipe works out to about 460 calories per serving. For the full breakdown, protein, carbs, and fat included, save it in the Forkful app: nutrition is calculated automatically from the ingredient list.
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