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A baking dish filled with an easy lasagna dinner, ready to serve.

Classic Easy Lasagna Dinner Recipe

This classic lasagna recipe features layers of savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, tender noodles, and plenty of gooey mozzarella, perfect for a comforting family dinner.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet or Dutch oven
  • medium bowl
  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • aluminum foil

Ingredients
  

Meat Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage or a mix
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2-3 garlic minced
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounce
  • 1 can tomato sauce 15 ounce
  • 1/2 cup water or beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Ricotta Mixture

  • 12-15 lasagna noodles oven-ready or regular, cooked according to package directions
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Assembly

  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

Cooking the Meat Sauce

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, then brown the ground beef or sausage and drain excess grease.
  • Add chopped onion and cook until softened, then stir in minced garlic and cook for one minute.
  • Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water/broth, then stir in oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes to meld flavors.

Preparing Ricotta Mixture

  • While sauce simmers, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well.

Assembling the Lasagna

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C); if using regular noodles, cook and drain them.
  • Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish, then layer with 3-4 lasagna noodles and half of the ricotta mixture.
  • Top with about 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1.5-2 cups of meat sauce.
  • Repeat the noodle, ricotta, mozzarella, and meat sauce layers once more.
  • Place remaining noodles on top, cover with remaining meat sauce, and sprinkle generously with remaining mozzarella and an extra dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Baking the Lasagna

  • Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
  • Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes after baking before slicing and serving.

Notes

For a richer flavor, let the meat sauce simmer longer. You can assemble the lasagna ahead of time and refrigerate it before baking; just add about 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time.