Go Back
–+ servings
A thick, layered slice of Classic Meat and Cheese Baked Lasagna topped with melted cheese and parsley.

Classic Meat and Cheese Baked Lasagna

This recipe guides you through making a traditional meat and cheese baked lasagna. It is a hearty dish suitable for family meals.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 463
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat Sauce
  • 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 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons salt -divided Use 2 tsp for sauce, 1 tsp for ricotta
  • 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning -divided Use 2 tsp for sauce, 1 tsp for ricotta
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves -divided Use 1 tsp for sauce, 1/2 tsp for ricotta
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley -divided Use 2 Tbsp for sauce, 2 Tbsp for ricotta
Cheese and Pasta
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese -divided Use 1 cup for ricotta, 1 cup for topping
  • 15 oz. whole milk Ricotta cheese About 1 3/4 cups
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese -divided Use 1/4 cup for ricotta, 1/4 cup for topping
  • 1 large egg
  • 12 lasagna noodles

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Large Bowl
  • 13x9 inch baking dish

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Make the meat sauce. Add the ground beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the meat is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and the black pepper. Stir until everything is combined. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.
  4. As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add 1 cup mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until the mixture is well incorporated.
  5. Cook the pasta al dente, following the package directions.
  6. Assemble the lasagna. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, add a very thin layer of meat sauce (about 1/4 cup). Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 1/2 level cups of meat sauce. Repeat these layers twice more.
  7. Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
  8. Cover the dish with foil that you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake for 15 more minutes.
  9. Let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes before you cut and serve it.

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 25gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1420mgPotassium: 812mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1115IUVitamin C: 14.9mgCalcium: 274mgIron: 3.7mg

Notes

This recipe makes a classic, rich lasagna. If you are looking for lighter variations, you can substitute part of the ground beef with ground turkey or use part-skim cheeses.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!