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Save this classic lasagna recipe now. It’s a life saver. I always have one lasagna in the freezer for those times when you suddenly find yourself in need to feed a crowd.
It’s made with two whole pounds of ground beef and tons of melted cheese, so it’s a very satisfying meal. Italian food at its best!
Ingredients for Classic Lasagna Recipe
- Olive oil is the oil of choice when cooking Italian cuisine. Use light olive oil, not extra virgin, which should be eaten raw.
- Ground beef. I recommend using lean ground beef. You will need two pounds for this recipe.
- Onion and garlic to flavor the ground beef used in the meat sauce. Chop the onion finely and mince the garlic.
- Tomato sauce and tomato paste to make the meat sauce. The tomato paste is concentrated and will give the sauce a richer flavor.
- Italian seasoning to infuse the meat sauce with the traditional Italian herbs like oregano, basil, marjoram, and thyme.
- Ground cinnamon. Just a pinch of ground cinnamon adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) for a spicy kick.
- Salt and pepper to season the meat sauce. Use them to taste.
- Mozzarella cheese. Freshly grated cheese is best. If you have time, buy the cheese in bulk and grate it yourself.
- Cottage or ricotta cheese for the creamy layer. Cottage is softer and ricotta is saltier. Choose your favorite.
- Parmesan cheese. It’s better to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you can, but store-bought, pre-grated is ok too.
- Lasagna noodles. You can use no-boil noodles or regular lasagna noodles. If you choose to use no-boil noodles, make sure your sauce is a bit thin so it helps cook the noodles.
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish.
How to Make a Classic Lasagna Recipe
1. Make the meat sauce: heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until brown and fully cooked. Break up the meat as you cook it. Pour in the tomato sauce, one can-full of water (use the tomato sauce can), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
3. Add one tsp of salt to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
4. While the noodles are cooking, preheat the oven to 350 F.
5. Assemble the lasagna: spoon ½ cup of meat sauce and spread it evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the cottage cheese evenly over the noodles. Spoon ⅓ of the meat sauce evenly over the cottage cheese. Sprinkle ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella and ½ Parmesan cheese over the meat sauce. Repeat the layers (noodles, cottage cheese, meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmsan), and end with 3 noodles, remaining ⅓ cup meat sauce, and remaining ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella.
6. Cut a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover the baking dish and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna and bake for 1 hr. Remove the foil and cook for 10 more minutes if you want a golden brown cheesy top.
Can I Freeze Lasagna?
This is the perfect make-ahead dish. You can either freeze it baked or unbaked. You need to wrap it with plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn. If you’re freezing baked lasagna, wait for it to come to room temperature before freezing.
I recommend freezing unbaked lasagna and baking it just prior to serving for that “just-made” fresh taste.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What to Serve with Classic Lasagna Recipe?
A slice of garlic bread or breadsticks are a must!
A green side salad with Italian dressing will balance the meal beautifully.
If you’re serving dessert, think of something fresh like lemon sorbet or if you want to go full-on Italian, Tiramisu!
Few things say home-made comfort like a piping hot slice of freshly cooked lasagna!
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Classic Lasagna Recipe
Save this classic lasagna recipe now. It’s a life saver. I always have one lasagna in the freezer for those times when you suddenly find yourself in need to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp light olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 15 oz water
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Pinch of ground cinnamon (⅛ tsp)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 9-11 uncooked lasagna noodles (my 9x13-inch dish used 9, but sometimes a few can break)
- 16 oz 4% fat cottage cheese (you can use ricotta too)
- 32 oz mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
Instructions
- Make the meat sauce: heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and garlic until tender, about 2-3 minutes..
- Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until brown and fully cooked. Break up the meat as you cook it. Pour in the tomato sauce, one can-full of water (use the tomato sauce can), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, one can-full of water (use the tomato sauce can), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add one tsp of salt to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the noodles are cooking, preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Assemble the lasagna: spoon ½ cup of meat sauce and spread it evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the cottage cheese evenly over the noodles. Spoon ⅓ of the meat sauce evenly over the cottage cheese. Sprinkle ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella and ½ Parmesan cheese over the meat sauce. Repeat the layers (noodles, cottage cheese, meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmsan), and end with 3 noodles, remaining ⅓ cup meat sauce, and remaining ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella.
- Cut a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover the baking dish and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna and bake for 1 hr. Remove the foil and cook for 10 more minutes if you want a golden brown cheesy top.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 601Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 160mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 57g
Sos Recipes is not staffed by nutritionists or dietitians, and any provided nutritional information is an approximation. If calorie count and nutritional value are crucial to you, we suggest inputting the ingredients into your preferred online nutritional calculator. The actual calorie and nutritional content may differ based on the brands used.