Petes Total Food

Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food, with layers of rich meat sauce, creamy cheese, and tender pasta baked together into one hearty dish. Every bite is packed with bold flavor and gooey, melted goodness. Whether you’re making it for a family dinner or a special occasion, homemade lasagna is always worth the time.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 ½ Hours | Serves: 6-10 | See Full Video Below

Ingredients:

• 1 Yellow Onion 
• 7 Cloves Garlic
• 15 Oz Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbsp Parsley
• 1 Lemon
• 16 Oz Low Moisture Mozzarella 
• 1 lb Italian Sausage (Mild) You can get the spicy sausage if you want more heat
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 6 Oz Tomato Paste
• 28 Oz Crushed Tomato
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Chopped Basil
• 15 Oz Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes 
• 1 lb Lasagna Noodles
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Grated
• Salt and Black Pepper

Directions:

• Start by dicing a yellow onion and all the garlic then set aside
• To make the ricotta cheese, dump the container of ricotta in a bowl and mush down
• Next add one egg, 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of black pepper, and the zest of one lemon, mix well and set aside
• Cut a 16 oz tube of mozzarella into 12-16 even slices and set aside
• Get out a large pot and add in the Italian sausage and ground beef and use a spatula to break it apart as it cooks. Continue stirring and pressing it into smaller pieces until it is fully browned and evenly crumbled
• Once browned, add in the onions and garlic and mix until translucent
• Next add in the tomato paste and stir until combined and meat is all coated
• Then add in the crushed tomato and mix
• To balance the acidity from the tomatoes add sugar, then add italian seasoning, chopped basil and tomato sauce
• Finally add 1 1/2 tsp of salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and a little more lemon zest for flavor (Optional)
• Let sit for 20-25 minutes to thicken
• While waiting, bring another pot of water to a boil, generously salt the water, and add in the lasagna noodles
• Remove pasta once it reaches al dente and drain into a strainer

Assembly:

• To make the lasagna, get a large pan (9 inch by 13 inch and 2-3 inches deep)
• Start by evenly spreading 2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom
• Next is the first layer of pasta, you can break the noodles if some don’t fit, but you want the meat sauce to be completely covered by one layer of noodles
• Then use 1/2 of the ricotta cheese and make an even layer on top of the noodles
• Next, use 2 more cups of meat sauce and create an even layer
• Then comes the second layer of noodles, place an even layer of noodles on top of the meat again
• Then use the rest of the ricotta cheese and spread into an even layer
• 2 more cups of meat sauce in an even layer
• Then the last round of noodles
• Last add the remaining meat sauce on top of the final layer of noodles
• In an even layer, add the slices of mozzarella so that it’s covering the whole tray in one layer
• Finally, sprinkle 1/2 Cup of parmesan on top
• Then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 Fahrenheit
• Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered
• Let sit for 10-15 minutes after baking to fully set
• Serve and enjoy!