Classic lasagna recipe

The best lasagna recipe starts with the best ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 kilo lasagna noodles
• 1 kilo ground beef 
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (or less, as desired)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 450 grams whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling on top
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped (optional)
• 6 cups shredded mozzarella

Step-by-step instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C with a rack in the middle position.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse, and separate any noodles that have stuck together.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onions, and garlic and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste until incorporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, the Italian seasoning, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce thickens, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, ¾ cup of Parmesan, basil, if using, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
6. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of a 22 x 13 rectangular baking dish (about 7 centimeters deep). Cover the sauce with a layer of pasta.
7. Spoon 1½ cups of sauce over the pasta and spread it out. Top the sauce with ¼ of the ricotta mixture and spread it gently over the sauce with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with 1¼ cups of mozzarella. Cover with another layer of pasta and repeat three more times with the remaining ingredients. Finish with the last layer of pasta, pour the remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of the remaining Parmesan.
8. Cover loosely with foil and place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven.
9. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.
10. Let cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your meal!