Baked Lasagna

Prep Time: 20 Mins

Cook Time 1.5 Hours

Total Time: 1Hr 50Mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage (Optional)
• 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 
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 
• 15 oz. (1 3/4 cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 
• 1 large egg
• 12 lasagna noodles Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Make the meat sauce. Add beef and sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat. Return the meat to the skillet.
  • 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 well combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley.
  • As the sauce cooks, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, add 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. Stir until well incorporated.
  • Cook the pasta al dente, according to it’s package directions.
  • Assemble the lasagna. In a 13×9 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 the layers twice.
  • Add a final layer of the remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.
  • Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 15 more minutes.
  • Let the lasagna cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.