Classic Lasagna with Ricotta
This classic Italian-American lasagna features layers of tender pasta, creamy whole milk ricotta, savory meat sauce, and bubbling mozzarella. The rich, slow-simmered meat sauce develops deep flavors while the three-cheese blend creates that irresistible stretchy, gooey texture everyone loves. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and make-ahead meals.
Equipment
- Large skillet or Dutch oven - for meat sauce
- Large pot - for boiling noodles
- 13x9-inch deep baking dish - 33x23cm
- Aluminum foil
- Medium mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Ladle or large spoon
- Box grater - for fresh cheese
- Colander - for draining pasta
- Clean kitchen towels or parchment paper - for laying cooked noodles
- Baking sheet - to catch drips (optional)
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - 15ml
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150g, diced
- 1 pound ground beef - 450g, 80/20 blend
- 0.5 pound Italian sausage - 225g, casings removed
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 jars (24 oz each) marinara sauce - 1.4kg total
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste - 30g
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning - 2g
- 0.5 teaspoon salt - 3g
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper - 0.5g
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes - 0.5g, optional
For the Cheese Mixture
- 2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese - 900g
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese - 100g, grated, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - 8g, chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon salt - 3g
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper - 0.5g
- 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg - 0.5g, optional
For Assembly
- 1 pound lasagna noodles - 450g
- 4 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese - 450g, shredded
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese - 50g, grated
- fresh basil - for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat until browned with no pink remaining.
- Add minced garlic during the last minute of cooking, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
- Stir in marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente (2 minutes less than package directions).
- Drain noodles and rinse immediately with cold water. Lay flat in a single layer on clean kitchen towels or parchment paper. Pat dry with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, ¾ cup of the Parmesan cheese, egg, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir until well combined and creamy.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 13x9-inch deep baking dish. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly across the bottom.
- Lay 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce, slightly overlapping if needed. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the ricotta. Ladle 1½ cups of meat sauce over the cheese, spreading gently to the edges.
- Repeat layering two more times: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, meat sauce. For the final layer, place remaining noodles on top, spread with remaining meat sauce, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil (spray underside with cooking spray to prevent sticking). Place on a baking sheet to catch drips.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove foil carefully and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows layers to set so they don't fall apart when cut.
- Cut into 12 squares using a sharp knife. Use a wide spatula to lift portions out from the bottom. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- Whole milk ricotta is essential - low-fat or part-skim ricotta can be grainy and watery, affecting the creamy texture.
- Don't skip the egg - the egg in the ricotta mixture acts as a binder, helping the layers hold together when you slice.
- Let it rest - resting for 15-20 minutes is the most important step people skip; it lets the layers set and makes serving much easier.
- Make ahead - assemble up to 24 hours before baking; add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time if starting from cold.
- Freezer instructions - wrap unbaked lasagna tightly in plastic wrap and foil; freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen adding 20-30 minutes to covered baking time.
- No-boil noodles - if using oven-ready noodles, make sure your sauce is slightly thinner and more abundant, and add 5-10 minutes to covered baking time.
- Prevent foil sticking - spray the underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray before covering, or tent the foil slightly so it doesn't touch the cheese.
- Vegetarian variation - replace the meat sauce with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, and bell peppers.
- Storage - refrigerate in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Fresh vs dried herbs - if using fresh Italian herbs instead of dried, triple the amount (1 tablespoon fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried).