Lasagna

Italian · Baked · 4 hr · Serves 6

Lasagna is the kind of dish that brings everyone to the table—layers of tender pasta, rich meat sauce, and creamy cheese that somehow taste even better the next day. It takes a bit of time, but most of it is hands-off baking, making it perfect for a weekend dinner when you want something that feels special without fussing all evening.

Ingredients

• 1 lbground beef
• 0.5 lbground pork
• 1onion, diced
• 3garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ozcanned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 15 ozricotta cheese
• 2 cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
• 0.5 cupparmesan cheese, grated
• 1egg
• 1 boxlasagna noodles
• 2 tbspolive oil
• to tastesalt and black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay flat on parchment paper to prevent sticking.

   10 min

2. 2

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

   4 min

3. 3

   Add ground beef and pork, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.

   8 min

4. 4

   Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.

   11 min

5. 5

   In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1.5 cups mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper until well combined.

6. 6

   Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, and meat sauce, repeating until you reach the top. Finish with a layer of sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top.

7. 7

   Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.

   40 min

8. 8

   Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting—this helps it hold together beautifully.

   10 min