Classic Beef Lasagna Layers (Printable Format)
A hearty Italian dish featuring savory beef, creamy cheese, pasta sheets, and rich marinara sauce baked golden.
# What You Need:
→ Marinara Sauce
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Beef Filling
12 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Cheese Layer
16 - 15 ounces ricotta cheese
17 - 1 large egg
18 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
→ Pasta
20 - 12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven-ready)
→ For Assembly
21 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Drain excess fat. Add 2 cups of the prepared marinara sauce to the beef and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, and grated Parmesan cheese until smooth.
04 - If using regular noodles, cook them in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and lay flat on a clean towel to prevent sticking.
05 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over noodles. Top with half the beef mixture, then sprinkle with 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella. Repeat layers: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining beef, 2/3 cup mozzarella. Finish with a final layer of noodles, remaining marinara sauce, and remaining mozzarella cheese.
06 - Cover the dish with foil tented so it does not touch the cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes like comfort without requiring fancy skills or hard-to-find ingredients.
- The house smells incredible while it bakes, and everyone shows up hungry.
- You can make it ahead and bake it later, which takes the pressure off dinner night.
- Feeding eight people from one dish feels generous and easy at the same time.
02 -
- Don't skip the resting time at the end; those 15 minutes let the cheese and noodles set so your slice doesn't collapse into a pile of delicious rubble.
- The tent method with foil matters: if it touches the cheese directly, it can stick and pull the top layer apart when you remove it.
- A splash of red wine in the marinara sauce adds a subtle depth that makes people wonder what you did differently.
03 -
- Use a 9x13-inch baking dish specifically; smaller dishes overflow and larger ones bake unevenly.
- If your oven runs hot, tent the lasagna with foil for the full baking time to prevent the top from burning while the center catches up.