This easy Homemade Lasagna is great for feeding a crowd, and also freezes well for new mom meals and quick thaw dinners.
Ingredients
3/4lbsweet Italian sausage
3/4lb80% lean ground beef
1tbspminced garlic
6cupstomato basil sauce(I love Rao's)
3cupsricotta cheese
1cupgrated parmigiano reggiano cheese(1.5 ounces by weight)
1large egg
2tbspchopped basil
1/4tspsalt
1/4tspblack pepper
1lbbox no-boil lasagna noodles
1lbbag shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat, then brown the sausage and ground beef until fully cooked, about 5 minutes.*
Add the garlic, and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat**.
In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, egg, basil, salt, and pepper.
To build the lasagna, spread enough meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan to cover in an even layer, about 1.5 cups.
Arrange a single layer of no-boil noodles on top of the sauce, then spread a thin layer of ricotta on top of the noodles. I use an offset spatula to make this easier.
Sprinkle a handful of mozzarella over the ricotta, then repeat this layering process about 3 more times, with meat sauce, noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella.
When you get to the last layer, finish with noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a little extra parmesan if you'd like.
Place the pan on a baking sheet, then cover the top tightly with aluminum foil. This is essential for cooking the no-boil noodles.
Bake for 1 hour, until the noodles have cooked through, and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*There should be enough fat in the sausage to prevent sticking, but if you feel you need to, you can add some olive oil before browning the meat.**I happen to know from experience that I don't need to add any salt to the meat, since there's substantial salt in the sauce. However, feel free to taste and adjust as needed.If you prefer to boil your own noodles: Bring a big pot of water to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt (the water should taste like sea water). Boil the lasagna noodles in batches (so they don’t stick), for 6 minutes per batch. Remove from the water and lay flat on a baking sheet until ready to use for the lasagna.Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 7 days.Freezing: I recommend fully baking the lasagna before freezing. Keep in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight.Make-ahead instructions: You can make the meat sauce and ricotta filling in advance of up to 3 days, then assemble the lasagna and bake whenever you’re ready.Reheating: If possible, let the lasagna thaw in the fridge overnight first, then re-bake at 300F, covered with foil, for about 30 minutes, until warm and the cheese is bubbling. If you must reheat straight from frozen, you will likely need to add another 15 minutes or so, and the results might be a bit more dry. You can also reheat in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, either in individual portions or the entire dish. You can also try to microwave directly from frozen in a pinch, it’s just more difficult to get it evenly heated because you can’t stir lasagna.