The classic Italian lasagna recipe is just like mom used to make. Layered with a rich hearty meat sauce, herbed ricotta, and two different kinds of cheese. This is the best Italian lasagna recipe for Sunday dinner with the family or when you are craving comfort food! For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this classic Italian lasagna recipe!
I love comfort food of all kinds. Whether it's chicken pot pie, meatloaf, or even pot roast, these soul warming meals are a staple in hour house during cold winter months. This Italian lasagna recipe is exactly one of those meals. I put this recipe together years ago for my husband and this is his absolute favorite. It's hearty and filling and the perfect meal to share with a friend or with your family.
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🍅 Ingredient notes
- Meat Sauce - Both ground beef and pork are cooked and simmered with marinara.
- Ricotta Mixture - Some classic recipes use bechamel (white sauce) instead of ricotta, but I prefer the ricotta mixture for a heartier dish. Ricotta is mixed with sauteed onions and garlic, Italian herbs, and of course, parmesan cheese.
- Shredded Cheese - Mozzarella cheese is used for a creamy, melty cheese and parmesan cheese is used for a little bit of sharpness and saltiness.
- Lasagna Noodles - Use oven-ready lasagna noodles when making lasagna to make things quick and easy!
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, saute the ground beef and pork together until browned, and then add the marinara. Let this simmer on low while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
Next, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil with Italian seasoning. Then, mix this together with ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and eggs.
Mix mozzarella cheese together with parmesan cheese and grab your noodles for assembly.
To assemble the lasagna, add a cup of meat sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and add three noodles on top of the sauce.
Next, dollop a third of your ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and spread it around to cover the noodles. Top the ricotta cheese with a third of the shredded cheese mixture and then a half of the remaining sauce.
Repeat the layering process two more times, with the last layer only consisting of noodles, ricotta, and shredded cheese.
Lastly, cover the lasagna with foil and bake in the oven at 375˚ for an hour. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown the cheese.
⭐ Top tip
Make sure you use a deep-sided baking dish to ensure you have enough room for all of the layers of your lasagna. Place a sheet pan on the rack below the lasagna to catch any drips.
📖 Recipe
The Perfect Classic Italian Lasagna
This classic Italian lasagna recipe is layered with a rich and hearty marinara, herbed ricotta mixture, and two kinds of shredded cheese! This tasty comfort food recipe is perfect for a cold Winter night or Sunday dinner.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups marinara
Ricotta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Lasagna
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 9 oven ready lasagna noodles
Instructions
Sauce
- Preheat oven to 375˚.
- In a large pot or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef, ground pork, salt, and pepper. Saute until meat is cooked through and browned.
- Add in marinara and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes while you finish prepping the other ingredients.
Ricotta
- In a medium pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in diced onion and saute for 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and saute for 1 minute.
- Remove the onion mixture from the heat and place into a medium bowl. Add ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper. Whisk together ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
Lasagna
- In a small bowl, mix parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
- In a 9x13 baking pan, place 1 cup of the meat sauce at the bottom and spread around to reach all of the sides.
- Place three lasagna noodles over the sauce and top with one third of the ricotta mixture. Spread the mixture around to cover most of the noodles. Top the ricotta mixture with one third of the shredded cheese mixture and then top that with half of the remaining meat sauce.
- Repeat the process for the next layer with 3 more noodles, the second third of the ricotta mixture, the second third of the shredded cheese, and the remaining meat sauce. Continue on to complete the third layer by adding the last three noodles, the final third of the ricotta mixture, and the final third of the shredded cheese.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the oven on the middle rack to bake for 1 hour. Place a sheet pan on the rack below the lasagna to catch any drips. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown cheese. You can also use the broiler in your oven if the cheese is not browned enough at the end.
- Remove lasagna from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Equipment
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Keywords: beef, pork, cheese, pasta, Sunday dinner, Italian, comfort food
🍽 Make ahead instructions
- Fridge - Wrap the fully assembled lasagna in plastic wrap before baking and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days prior to cooking. Remove lasagna from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to allow it to come to room temperature or extra cooking time might be needed.
- Freezer - Wrap the fully assembled lasagna in plastic wrap and foil before baking and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow lasagna to fully defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Before baking, remove the lasagna from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to allow it to come to room temperature or extra cooking time might be needed.
📋 Variations
- Vegetarian - Make this lasagna recipe vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and pork and just use marinara.
- Gluten Free - Try gluten free lasagna noodles to make this lasagna gluten free!
- Extra Veggies - Saute fresh spinach or kale leaves with your onions and garlic to add some extra veggies to your ricotta mixture.
- Spicy - Use spicy Italian sausage instead of ground pork for an extra zesty dish!
💭 Frequently asked questions
Allow your lasagna to sit for 10-15 minutes after cooking so it's easier to cut and serve.
If the cheese isn't browned enough at the end of cooking, turn on the broiler for 3-5 minutes at the end of cooking to brown the cheese.
🍝 More comfort food
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for The Perfect Classic Italian Lasagna. For even more comfort food recipes, check out these popular ones below:
Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
Mireille | the Tortilla Channel says
What is not to love about this recipe Amanda? Love it with the beef and pork and all that cheese. Beautiful.
Amanda says
Thanks Mireille!!!