Hearty Comfort Food Lasagna

This homemade lasagna is hearty, cheesy, and made for a family dinner. Ground beef and Italian sausage simmer with crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion, and oregano to make a rich meat sauce. Then the sauce is layered with lasagna noodles, a creamy ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A little fresh basil on top brightens everything up after it comes out of the oven.

The sauce gets its flavor from a few simple steps. First, soften the onion and garlic, then brown the beef and sausage. Stir in the oregano, salt, and pepper and let the seasonings toast briefly with the meat. Tomato paste adds depth, while a splash of broth or wine helps loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes and water, then let the sauce simmer and cook down while you prepare the ricotta mixture and noodles.

How to layer homemade lasagna

Start with a thin layer of meat sauce in the baking dish to keep the noodles from sticking. Add noodles, then more sauce. Spread some ricotta mixture over the sauce; it will blend in a little as you spread it, making each bite creamy without hiding the meat sauce. Add mozzarella and Parmesan, then repeat the layers. Finish with sauce and a generous layer of cheese.

Bake the lasagna covered first so it heats through, then uncover it to let the cheese melt and brown. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing so the layers hold together more easily. Finish with fresh basil just before serving.

Fresh bread is perfect alongside homemade lasagna, especially for catching any extra sauce on the plate. A simple salad or cooked vegetables also make an easy side. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them promptly and reheat thoroughly; see the USDA guidance on handling leftovers.

Hearty Comfort Food Lasagna

Homemade lasagna with Italian sausage and ground beef in a slow-simmered tomato sauce, layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Serve with fresh bread to catch the extra sauce.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Crowd pleaser, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: italian-american

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Meat Sauce

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1½ teaspoons salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup broth or wine
• 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water (working estimate; adjust to taste)

Ricotta Mixture

• 32 ounces ricotta
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

For Layering

• 1 pound lasagna noodles
• 24 ounces mozzarella shredded
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil for topping after baking

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened.
2. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned.
3. Add the oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 1 minute to toast the seasonings.
4. Stir in the tomato paste. Pour in the broth or wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook it down, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your preferred thickness.
6. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, 1 cup of Parmesan, and parsley. Prepare the noodles according to the package directions.
7. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of noodles. Spread sauce over the noodles, then spread some of the ricotta mixture over the sauce so the two blend together. Add mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
8. Repeat the noodle, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan layers, finishing with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan on top.
9. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 20 minutes more, until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted. The remembered bake time is tentative; confirm before publishing.
10. Top with fresh basil after baking. Let the lasagna rest briefly before slicing so the layers are easier to serve.

Notes

Cheese amounts: The recipe uses 32 ounces of ricotta, 24 ounces of mozzarella, and 1½ cups of Parmesan. The mozzarella and Parmesan amounts are suggested measurements to make generous layers.

Broth or wine: Either can be used to deglaze the pot. Add a splash and scrape the bottom of the pot; the ½-cup quantity is a working estimate.

Noodles: Cook the noodles according to the package directions unless using a no-boil variety. If using no-boil noodles, make sure the sauce is loose enough to hydrate them.

Bake time: The remembered timing is about 40 minutes total at 375°F, covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 20 minutes. Check that the center is hot and bubbling before serving.

Fresh basil: Add it after baking so it stays fragrant and fresh.

Serving idea: Serve with fresh bread.

I get some of the canned ingredients for this lasagna, including the crushed tomatoes, from Thrive Market. If you’re stocking your pantry, you can check out Thrive Market here: http://thrv.me/Ss87kH.