World's Best Lasagna (Printable)

Classic Italian comfort with tender pasta layers, seasoned meat sauce, and three cheeses baked to golden perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta & Cheese

01 - 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
02 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meat Sauce

06 - 1 lb ground beef, lean
07 - 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
08 - 4 cups marinara sauce
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking meat into small pieces as it cooks. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes until fully browned. Drain excess fat from the skillet.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg. Blend until smooth consistency is achieved.
06 - Spread a thin layer of meat sauce across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
07 - Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles in a single layer, slightly overlapping each sheet to cover the sauce.
08 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta, then distribute additional meat sauce.
09 - Repeat layering: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, another third of mozzarella cheese, and additional meat sauce.
10 - Position final 4 noodles on top. Spread remaining meat sauce over noodles, then cover with remaining mozzarella and all Parmesan cheese.
11 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbling at the edges.
13 - Remove from oven and allow lasagna to rest undisturbed for 15 minutes before slicing. This permits the layers to set properly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The uncooked noodles soak up all the sauce flavor while baking, creating tender layers without the hassle of boiling pasta first.
  • Two types of meat give you complexity that single-protein lasagnas just cannot match.
  • It reheats like a dream, and honestly tastes even better on day two when all the flavors have fully mingled.
  • You can assemble it completely in the morning, refrigerate it, and just pop it in the oven when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after baking, cutting into it too soon will cause all the layers to slide apart and you will end up serving lasagna soup.
  • If your noodles are sticking out above the sauce, they will bake into hard, inedible edges, so make sure every bit of pasta is covered.
  • Use enough sauce in each layer or the uncooked noodles will not soften properly, I learned this the crunchy way.
03 -
  • Assemble the entire lasagna the night before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate, then just add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes to prevent burning while the inside finishes cooking.
  • Always use a sharp serrated knife to slice lasagna cleanly, a dull knife will drag the layers apart.
Go Back