Classic Ground Beef Lasagna
A classic Italian-American lasagna layered with a thick all-beef tomato sauce, egg-set ricotta, and melted mozzarella, baked until bubbly and browned. One 9x13 pan serves 10 and freezes well.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 85% lean
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces marinara sauce 1 jar
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
For the Ricotta Filling
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For Assembly
- 12 regular lasagna noodles not no-boil
- 3 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded (12 ounces), divided
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the ground beef, break it into small crumbles, and cook 7 to 8 minutes until no pink remains (160°F). Spoon off any excess fat.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
- Add the marinara, crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a bubble, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough that a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a trail. You should have about 6 cups.
Mix the Ricotta Filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to layer.
Boil the Noodles
- Cook the noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, stirring early so they don't stick.
- Drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Assemble
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Lay 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread one third of the ricotta mixture over them, sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella, and top with 1 1/4 cups sauce.
- Repeat the noodle, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce layers two more times.
- Top with the last 3 noodles and spread the remaining sauce over them, covering the noodles completely.
Bake and Rest
- Cover tightly with foil (grease the underside if it touches the sauce) and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan, and bake 15 minutes more until melted, bubbly, and browned in spots. Broil 2 to 3 minutes for extra color if you like.
- Rest on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley, cut into 10 squares, and serve.
Notes
- Thick sauce: The sauce should look almost too thick in the skillet. The noodles and ricotta release moisture as they bake.
- Make ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Add about 20 minutes to the covered bake time.
- Freeze: Wrap the unbaked lasagna in plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge 24 to 48 hours, remove the plastic, and bake as directed with the extra 20 minutes.
- No-boil noodles: Skip boiling, add 1/4 cup water to the sauce, and bake covered 50 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.