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Homemade Lasagna — Fresh homemade recipe photo

Homemade Lasagna

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Three years ago I accidentally left the assembled lasagna in the fridge for four days before baking it. The noodles absorbed every drop of moisture from the sauce and ricotta mixture, resulting in slices that held their shape perfectly without any structural collapse. That accident taught me that patience is actually an ingredient here; letting the dish rest allows those layers to set into something far more cohesive than rushing it straight out of the oven.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 562
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meat Sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20 lean/fat ratio
  • ½ lb Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity
For the Ricotta Filling
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
Assembly
  • 12 lasagna noodles regular or no-boil
  • 4 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping

Method
 

  1. Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F). Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in onion and garlic; cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  2. Simmer: Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar to the pot. Reduce heat to low. Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat.
  3. Prepare ricotta mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, ¼ cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  4. Cook noodles (if using regular): Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente (usually 1 minute less than recommended). Drain and lay flat on sheets of parchment paper or lightly oiled baking trays to prevent sticking. If using no-boil noodles, skip this step.
  5. Assemble: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread about ½ cup of meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place 4 lasagna noodles horizontally over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with one-third of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat layers: noodles, remaining ricotta, more cheese. Top with final layer of noodles.
  6. Final toppings: Spoon the remaining meat sauce evenly over the top layer of noodles, ensuring all edges are covered to prevent drying out. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan generously on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil (tented slightly so it doesn't touch cheese).
  7. Bake: Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
  8. Rest: Let the lasagna rest on a wire rack for at least

Nutrition

Serving: 315gCalories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 34gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 1085mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 22IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 385mgIron: 4mg

Notes

I keep this on rotation because it freezes beautifully and reheats better than most leftovers. The secret I found was mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch directly into the ricotta blend, which prevents that watery pool from forming at the bottom of the pan during baking. It sounds like a small detail, but it transforms the texture from soggy to dense and satisfying.

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