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Beef Lasagna

A hearty layered lasagna prepared with a slow-simmered beef and Italian sausage tomato sauce, a parsley-speckled ricotta filling, oven-ready pasta sheets, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The lasagna is baked first under foil for tenderness, then uncovered to create a lightly golden, bubbling cheese topping.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Keyword: Beef Lasagna
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

  • 3/4 lb extra-lean ground beef
  • 4 fresh basil leaves finely chopped
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 3 fresh garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 small onion finely diced, approximately 1/2 cup
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes preferably San Marzano
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 lb mild or spicy Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper with additional as desired
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water used only as necessary to loosen the sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt plus more according to taste

Ricotta Filling

  • 1 large egg brought to room temperature
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely minced
  • 16 oz ricotta cheese

For Assembly

  • 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb mozzarella cheese freshly shredded

Instructions

  • Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Chop the basil and the 1/4 cup parsley reserved for the meat sauce, keeping this parsley separate from the amount needed for the ricotta filling. Remove the sausage casings and divide the sausage meat into small pieces.
  • Place a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and ground beef, then cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it browns. Continue cooking until no pink remains and the sausage has released its fat.
  • Add the prepared onion and garlic to the browned meat. Stir continuously for approximately 2 minutes, until the garlic becomes aromatic and the onion begins to soften.
  • Stir the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce into the browned meat mixture. Work the tomato paste thoroughly into the sauce so no concentrated lumps remain.
  • Add the sugar, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot.
  • Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours. Stir from time to time to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom and to promote even cooking.
  • If the sauce becomes excessively thick, incorporate the water gradually until the mixture is thick yet still easy to pour. Taste toward the end of the simmering period and adjust the salt or pepper as needed.
  • Approximately 30 minutes after the sauce begins simmering, place the ricotta, room-temperature egg, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley in a medium bowl.
  • Gently combine the ingredients with a fork just until evenly mixed. Avoid excessive stirring so the ricotta retains a light texture. Season the mixture lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper, then leave it at room temperature until assembly.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Keep the freshly shredded mozzarella and freshly grated Parmesan ready for layering.
  • Once the meat sauce has completed its simmer and the oven is fully heated, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce evenly across the base of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
  • Arrange 4 oven-ready lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread one-half of the ricotta filling evenly across the noodles, then scatter one-third of the mozzarella over the ricotta.
  • Spoon another 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce over the mozzarella and finish this layer with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Repeat the layering process with another 4 noodles, the remaining ricotta filling, another one-third of the mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups meat sauce, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
  • Complete the lasagna with the final 4 noodles. Cover them with the remaining meat sauce, approximately 1 1/2 cups, followed by the remaining mozzarella and the final 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil, sealing the edges well so the trapped steam can soften and cook the oven-ready noodles.
  • Bake the covered lasagna for 25 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the foil, taking care around the escaping steam. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking uncovered for another 25 minutes.
  • The lasagna is ready when the cheese is bubbling around the edges and the surface has developed a lightly browned, golden finish.
  • Remove the finished lasagna from the oven and allow it to stand undisturbed for 15 minutes before slicing. This resting period gives the layers time to firm sufficiently for cleaner portions.
  • Cut the lasagna with a sharp knife and serve while warm.
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Notes

Freshly grated Parmesan and freshly shredded mozzarella are preferred because they generally melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheeses containing anti-caking agents.
Use either mild or spicy Italian sausage according to preference.
Add the optional water gradually only if the meat sauce becomes too dense during its long simmer.
Additional salt and black pepper may be incorporated near the end of cooking according to taste.