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The Best Homemade Classic Beef Lasagna Recipe

A close-up, appetizing slice of classic lasagna showing multiple layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, and melted cheese topping.
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Make this classic Italian-American lasagna with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and plenty of mozzarella. This easy recipe is perfect for a comforting family dinner and freezes well.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 9 lasagna noodles
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully combined.
  4. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
  5. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  6. Arrange three cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping if necessary.
  7. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
  8. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.
  9. Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the mozzarella.
  10. Repeat the layers: 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, one-third of the mozzarella, and the rest of the meat sauce.
  11. Top with the final 3 noodles and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  12. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
  13. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are browned.
  14. Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • For a make-ahead lasagna, assemble the entire dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
  • You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese if you prefer a slightly different texture.
  • This recipe is great for feeding a crowd; consider doubling the ingredients for a 9×13 pan or using two smaller pans.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cravybite.link/easy-homemade-lasagna-recipe/