1lb(453g)ground beef(I use a lean beef but use whichever percentage you prefer)
1lb(453g)sweet Italian sausage¹
1 ½teaspoonsItalian seasoning
1teaspoondried basil
½teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoongarlic powder
¾teaspoonsalt
¾teaspoonground black pepper
¼teaspoonred pepper flakesoptional
28oz(795g)tomato sauce
14oz(396g)diced tomatoesundrained
3Tablespoonsgranulated sugar
Filling/Topping
15oz(425g)whole milk ricotta cheese
½cupfresh shredded parmesan cheese
4oz(113g)cream cheesesoftened
1egg
1teaspoondried parsley
3cups(340g)shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions until al-dente (typically 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
12 lasagna noodles
Drain and run noodles under cold water to keep them from cooking further. Set aside.
While the noodles are cooking you can begin preparing your sauce. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ sweet or yellow onion
Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
3 cloves garlic
Add ground beef and sausage to the pan and cook, crumbling, until mostly browned. Drain if needed. If you have accumulated a brown layer on the bottom of the pan, simply deglaze with a splash of broth or wine.
1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sweet Italian sausage¹
Add Italian seasoning, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined with the meat.
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and sugar and stir well. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally while you prepare the cheese layer:
28 oz tomato sauce, 14 oz diced tomatoes, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling
Stir together ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, egg, and dried parsley until completely combined.
15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese, ½ cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Assembly
Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13” (23x33cm) baking dish. Top with an even layer of 4 noodles.Top the noodles with a third of your sauce. Dollop half of your ricotta over the sauce and use a spoon to spread evenly (it will be a thin layer and may swirl with the sauce, this is fine). Top the ricotta with 1 cup (113g) shredded mozzarella.
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Repeat with 4 more noodles, half of your remaining sauce, another layer of ricotta and another cup of mozzarella, then 4 more noodles, remaining sauce, and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly over the top.
Lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and place the foil (spray-side down) over the lasagna. Place the lasagna on a foil-lined baking sheet (in case any overflow happens this will keep it from making a mess in your oven) and bake in 350F (175C) oven for 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes/until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Video
Notes
¹Sausage
Sometimes I am only able to find sweet Italian sausage in the form of links; simply remove the casings before using if this is the case.MeatYou can use all beef, all sausage, or even just 1 lb of either meat if you prefer. You could also leave out the meat entirely and have a vegetarian lasagna.
Storing
You can store the lasagna in the pan you bake it in wrapped tightly in foil, or in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. It may also be frozen in an airtight container for 1-2 months.