Lasagna Recipe: Easy Lasagna With Meat Sauce

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One family dish that has stood the test of time passed on in the family is our lasagna recipe. Growing up we had, family dinners that included lasagna every Sunday and huge holiday gatherings. Generations all gathered under one roof. Today I’m sharing an easy lasagna with meat sauce.

Life was steeped in traditions and easy recipes. I remember our dining room packed with family: my mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and all the cousins. We made lasagna from scratch and it took hours. What was it like when you were growing up? 

Unlike my grandma’s generation, we don’t have all day to make the traditional sauces. Today I’m sharing my version of my family’s lasagna with ricotta recipe. It’s similar but, quicker and easier. 

When I make lasagna I make a smaller size for dinner and a larger one to freeze and heat up when we have company. This way I have more time to visit with my family when they come to visit. When everyone gets together it’s just like the old days. Generations gathered under one roof. A dining room packed with family enjoying a delicious simple lasagna. 

Lasagna Recipe

 Lasagna Recipe With Meat Sauce

How to make lasagna

Step 1. Start by getting your ground beef cooking, plus optional one pound of ground sausage (in a large skillet or non-stick pan). Use your favorites like sweet Italian sausage (But, you can use breakfast sausage or omit the sausage). Cook on medium heat until no longer pink (use package directions). Stirring occasionally. I also cook 1.5 lb. of extra lean ground beef.

Step 2. When done remove any excess grease, or fat.

Step 3. Put on your water for noodles if cooking them prior to assembling your lasagna. Salt the water after it boils. You will skip this step if you are using no-boil noodles.

Step 4. In a large bowl, make a ricotta cheese mixture. It has 3 cups ricotta cheese, 1 tbsp. dried parsley, 2 tsp. Italian herbs mixture, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 egg. Add all together and stir until mixed.

Easy Lasagna With Meat Sauce

Step 5

When I don’t have time to create my sauces that take hours to make, I pick up Ragu sauces. For my family, they are tried and true. No artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup. Ragu is steeped in tradition too. 

Did you know the sauce’s recipe was created by an Italian woman named Assunta Cantisano? She came to America as a single mother with her family’s tomato sauce recipe in her pocket. Assunta’s recipe for sauce was always slowly simmered, full of flavors, and made with fresh-grown ingredients. This is the sauce you know as Ragu. Much like my homemade sauce, it’s a go-to.

Step 5.

• At this point, I added two jars of Ragu sauce to the cooked ground meats and put the sauce on low.
• Add salt to the water (after it boils) right before adding the noodles.
• Add lasagna noodles to the boiling water. 
• Cook per your package directions. Mine was 8 minutes. 
• Drain and rinse with cold water. This helps the noodles from sticking together.
• Next, you are ready for assembly.

How to Assemble Lasagna Recipe

Step 6. Set up your table for assembling 

1. Layer sauce covering the bottom of the pan.
2. Layer noodles on top of sauce; side by side to cover pan.
3. Add another layer of sauce on top of the noodles.
4. Add ricotta cheese mixture spooned alternately on noodles with sauce.
5. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese or sliced mozzarella cheese,
6. Repeat until done.
7. Final layer finish with noodles, sauce mozzarella cheese a sprinkle of Italian herbs.
8. Optional sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese over the top.

It’s really easy to put together lasagna by repeating the assembly steps. After you’ve done it a few times you can do it in no time flat.

All the delicious layers of cheese, pasta sauce, and ground beef layered together in a large pan.

Ground Beef Lasagna

Lasagna may not be cooked every day but, when we cook it and serve it everyone enjoys eating this home-cooked lasagna. The best part is you can double the batch and freeze one to bake and eat later. Lasagna for the win!

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Yield: 12

Easy Lasagna With Meat Sauce

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Easy Lasagna: This is a simplified version of our family's classic lasagna recipe. It's quicker and easier to make, perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. Enjoy this delicious, meaty, cheesy, comforting meal!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground sausage
• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 lb. mozzarella cheese
• 32 oz. ricotta cheese
• 2 jars Ragu Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
• Italian Seasonings
• Dried parsley
• 1 egg
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive Oil
• 16 ounce Large Package Lasagna Noodles

Instructions

How To Make Lasagna

1. Cook the ground beef and the ground sausage until no longer pink, in a large skillet. Breaking up the meats as you cook it with a wooden spoon. Drain off any extra grease.
2. Add 2 jars of pasta sauce to the meat, and put on low/simmer. Stir occasionally while it is cooking.
3. Boil your water for the lasagna noodles in a stockpot or pasta water pot.
4. Mix your Ricotta mixture: In a large bowl, make a ricotta cheese mixture. It has 3 cups of ricotta cheese, 1 tbsp. dried parsley, 2 tsp. Italian herb mixture, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 1 egg. Add it all together and stir until mixed. Set to side until needed.
5. When water has boiled. Follow the directions and cook your noodles. When the noodles are done, drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

Assemble your lasagna

1. Layer sauce covering the bottom of the baking pan.
2. Add a Layer of noodles on top of the sauce, covering the baking pan.
3. Then, add another layer of sauce on top of the noodles.
4. Now, add the ricotta cheese mixture spooned alternately on noodles with sauce.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
6. Repeat until done.
7. The final layer is finished with noodles, sauce mozzarella cheese a sprinkle of Italian herbs.
8. Optional top the lasagna with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
9. Cover your lasagna pans tent style closed at the bottoms against the baking pan.
10. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling hot and cheeses are melted. Take the lasagna out of the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes, before slicing to serve. Serve with salad and garlic bread. Bon Appetite!

Notes

This recipe makes 1- 11 3/4″ x 9 3/8″ pan and 1-7.5″ x 12″ pan ( pans were approximately 2″ deep ) You can make it in advance up to 2 days. Store it in the refrigerator. Remove it before baking in the oven. Insert and bake it to serve.

To Freeze lasagna; Freeze it assembled but, uncooked and well-wrapped. I typically don’t keep them for more than a few months. See Food Safety guidelines for freezing and storage. I like to freeze mine in aluminum pans.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

11
Amount Per Serving Calories 610Total Fat 42gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 173mgSodium 973mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 47g

Not all nutritional information is always 100% accurate.

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