A classic, rich Italian-American style lasagna featuring a deeply flavored meat sauce with sausage, beef, and mushrooms, paired with a creamy blend of high-quality ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses.
Ingredients
| Component | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meat Sauce | Italian sausage, Ground beef, Mushrooms | Browned together |
| Marinara sauce | Good quality, homemade or jarred | |
| Seasoning | Salt, black pepper, red chili flakes | |
| Water | For consistency during simmering | |
| Cheese Filling | Ricotta cheese | Whole milk variety |
| Fresh Mozzarella | Diced, not grated | |
| Reggiano Parmesan | Grated | |
| Eggs | Beaten | |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, cayenne | |
| Herbs | Fresh Italian parsley | |
| Pasta | Lasagna noodles | 1 box (1 lb) |
| Salt | For the boiling water |
Instructions
1. Prepare the Meat Sauce
- Brown Italian sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces.
- Add roughly chopped mushrooms and cook until the meat is browned and the mushroom liquid has evaporated.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and red chili flakes.
- Stir in marinara sauce and a splash of water.
- Simmer on low for approximately 2 hours until the meat is extremely tender. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
2. Make the Cheese Filling
- In a bowl, combine beaten eggs and whole milk ricotta cheese.
- Mix in Reggiano Parmesan and diced fresh mozzarella.
- Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and chopped fresh Italian parsley.
3. Cook the Noodles
- Boil one pound of lasagna noodles in salted water.
- Drain, rinse, and keep them in cold water to prevent sticking.
4. Assemble the Lasagna
Use a deep lasagna pan (approx. 10″ x 15″ x 3″). Divide sauce into 4 parts, noodles into 3 parts, and cheese into 2 parts.
- Base: Spread 1/4 of the meat sauce on the bottom, followed by 1/3 of the noodles.
- First Layer: Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then top with another 1/4 of the meat sauce.
- Second Layer: Add 1/3 of the noodles, the remaining 1/2 of the cheese mixture, and another 1/4 of the meat sauce.
- Top Layer: Finish with the final 1/3 of the noodles and the last 1/4 of the meat sauce.
- Finishing: Top with dots of fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
5. Bake
- Cover the pan loosely with foil (avoid touching the cheese).
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 30-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
- Important: Let the lasagna sit for at least 20 minutes before slicing into squares.
