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A generous slice of Classic Beef Lasagna with Rich Tomato Sauce, showing layers of pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese.

Classic Beef Lasagna with Rich Tomato Sauce

This recipe provides instructions for making a classic Italian lasagna featuring a slow-simmered meat sauce and creamy cheese layers. It yields 8 servings and requires baking.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat Sauce
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
  • 0.75 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
  • 2 6.5 oz cans canned tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1.5 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 0.5 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley divided
Cheese Mixture and Assembly
  • 12 pre-cooked lasagna noodles
  • 16 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 0.75 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • 9 x 13-inch baking dish
  • Small mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. In a dutch oven over medium heat, combine the sweet Italian sausage, lean ground beef, minced onion, and crushed garlic. Cook until the meats are browned thoroughly and the onion has softened, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
  2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, canned tomato sauce, dried basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and white sugar. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste, along with two tablespoons of the chopped fresh parsley.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Let the sauce gently simmer uncovered for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, remaining two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well until smooth and set aside.
  5. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking the lasagna.
  6. Using a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, begin layering. Spread 1.5 cups of meat sauce evenly on the bottom. Layer the pre-cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, covering it fully. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then add one-third of the sliced mozzarella cheese on top. Spoon another 1.5 cups of meat sauce over the mozzarella layer and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
  7. Repeat the layers: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, sauce, and Parmesan. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
  8. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, spraying the foil lightly with oil spray on the side touching the cheese to prevent sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes covered.
  9. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes, allowing the cheese on top to brown.
  10. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Notes

Using pre-cooked noodles saves time and ensures they cook perfectly in the oven without becoming mushy. Spraying the foil with oil spray prevents the cheese from sticking to it during baking. Simmering the sauce for 1.5 hours deepens the flavor. Allowing the lasagna to rest before serving helps it set and makes serving cleaner.

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