The Ultimate Homemade Lasagna Recipe
This lasagna recipe is the "ultimate" because it tastes like my favorite Italian restaurants lasagna, and it's easier and quicker to make than your other favorite lasagna recipe!
Servings 10 people
Calories 517kcal
Ingredients
- 1-2 packs fresh lasagna noodles
- 750 g ground beef you could also do 500g
- 1 large onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp italian herb blend or 1 tsp each thyme, oregano, basil
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 24 oz crushed tomatoes
- 24 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 - 2 cups whipping cream, half & half or coconut cream add to taste
- 500 g ricotta cheese
- 500 g mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Make the Bolognese Sauce
- Add some oil or butter to a big skillet with sides, or a pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until they have softened. Add the ground beef and then the seasonings: salt and pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs. Sometimes I like to add half the seasonings, then stir, then add the rest. Cook till its browned. Make sure to break up the beef as good as you can. The smaller the bits of beef, the better it tastes (in my opinion!)
- Add the garlic and stir it in a bit. Add the cans of tomatoes and tomato paste and bring to a simmer and cook for a few mins or up to 15 mins. Add the cream or coconut cream if you are going to add it. As much or as little as you want. Finally, add the water then remove from the heat.
Make the Layers
- If you are cooking your lasagna right away, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom so the noodles don't stick. Then add your first layer of noodles. If your casserole dish is larger than the noodles, cut some of the noodles so you cover most of the layer. It doesn't have to be perfect. Next add a thick layer of sauce and spread it over top. Another layer of noodles, then sauce.
- Somewhere in the middle, add a layer of ricotta. On top of the ricotta, add a thin layer of sauce. We like only one layer of ricotta. Then more noodles. Repeat with the sauce and noodles till your dish is full. Finish with a thin layer of meat sauce. Grate your cheese and spread it over the top.
Bake the Lasagna
- Place your lasagna dish on a baking tray to catch any drips while baking. Cover your dish with a lid or foil and bake your lasagna at 375 degrees for 30 mins. Remove the cover and bake an additional 15 mins or until the cheese is lightly browned.
Notes
Tips for the Best Bolognese
- make sure to cook the onions, carrots and celery enough so that they just melt into the sauce. You don't want the sauce to have any bite to it from the veggies.
- season the meat liberally. Be a little careful with the salt, but go buck wild on the onion and garlic powder. Don't be stingy with the salt either, but just don't go crazy.
- spend the time and the elbow grease to break the meat into very small pieces. I don't know why, but it makes the sauce taste better.
- taste for seasoning at the end of the cooking process. If it tastes like it "needs something" then just add a touch more salt and retaste till you get it how you like it.
- you want your sauce for this lasagna to be have lots of liquid because the noodles will absorb some of the sauce and you don't want it dry. This is why we don't say to simmer for longer than 15 mins. If your sauce gets thick, add some water.
Nutrition
Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g