Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
  • 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 C water
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 tsp salt– divided
  • 3 tsp italian seasoning– divided
  • 1-1/2 tsp dried basil leaves– divided
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 C fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley – minced – divided
  • 2 C mozzarella cheese– shredded – divided
  • 1 (15oz) container whole milk Ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese– divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 12 lasagna noodles

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Cook the lasagna noodles al dente, according to its package directions – drain & set aside
Make the Meat Sauce:  
  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add beef and sausage (breaking it apart with a wooden spoon)
  2. Add the onion and garlic
  3. Cook until meat is browned, about 6 – 8 minutes
  4. Drain the fat from the meat
  5. Return the meat to the skillet
  6. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp basil and pepper
  7. Stir until well combined
  8. Cover and reduce the heat to low
  9. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes
  10. Stir in 2 Tbsp minced parsley

Make the Ricotta Mixture:

  1. In a large bowl, add 1 C mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 C parmesan, 2 Tbsp parsley, egg, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp basil
  2. Stir until well incorporated

Assemble the Lasagna:

  1. In a 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking dish – add a thin layer of meat sauce
  2. Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1-1/2 C of meat sauce
  3. Repeat the layers twice
  4. Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 C mozzarella and 1/4 C parmesan
  5. Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray – very important or your cheese will stick and nobody wants that
  6. Bake for 45 minutes
  7. Remove the foil
  8. Bake 15 minutes longer – or until the cheese is browned
  9. Let the lasagna cool for 15 – 20 minutes before cutting