Indulge in a culinary journey with our hearty meat lasagna, a delectable dish that tantalizes taste buds and satisfies appetites. This classic Italian lasagna recipe is elevated with a rich meat sauce, layers of tender pasta, creamy béchamel, and a generous sprinkling of cheese. Discover the art of creating this comforting dish from scratch, with step-by-step instructions and expert tips. Additionally, explore variations such as the vegetarian lasagna, a meatless marvel bursting with flavorful roasted vegetables, and the speedy lasagna roll-ups, a convenient and equally delicious alternative. Embrace the versatility of lasagna with our comprehensive guide, and prepare to impress your family and friends with this iconic dish.
Let's cook with our recipes!
LASAGNA WITH MEAT SAUCE
Ground beef and sweet Italian sausage enrich the sauce for this beloved baked pasta, while no-boil lasagna noodles speed up the process. Check out our step-by-step guide.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Ground Beef Recipes
Time 2h30m
Yield Serves 8 to 10
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Meat Sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add beef, sausage, onion, carrots, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat into bite-size pieces, until vegetables soften and meat has browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes more. Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor; add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened slightly but still very loose, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, eggs, 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 1/2 cups mozzarella, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Assembly: Spread 2 cups meat sauce evenly in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce (space noodles evenly; they will expand as the lasagna cooks). Spread 2 cups cheese mixture over noodles; top with 3 more noodles. Repeat layering of meat and cheese mixtures between noodles twice more. Spread 2 cups meat sauce evenly over top layer of noodles. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Loosely cover with parchment-lined foil and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake until noodles are tender but still al dente (easily pierced with the tip of a knife), 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover; continue baking until bubbly and puffed slightly along edges and golden brown in places on top, 20 to 25 minutes more. (There may appear to be a lot of liquid in the dish. It will be absorbed as the lasagna cools.) Transfer dish to a wire rack and let cool slightly and set, about 20 minutes; cut into squares to serve.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
While not a 30-minute meal, this lasagna is quicker and more straightforward than most. If you're in a real time crunch, use your favorite jarred red sauce. For greater success with the lasagna noodles, which have a tendency to stick together, boil them in the largest pot possible or work in batches - they need as much water as possible to move freely so they don't clump. This lasagna can be assembled, baked and refrigerated up to five days ahead, or frozen up to a month ahead if wrapped tightly.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, weekday, weeknight, casseroles, pastas, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
- Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
- Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
- Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
- Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 938, UnsaturatedFat 29 grams, Carbohydrate 61 grams, Fat 58 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 44 grams, SaturatedFat 26 grams, Sodium 1333 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams
NEW BEST RECIPE HEARTY MEAT LASAGNA
I got this recipe out of "The New Best Recipe Cookbook." Everything I've ever made out of this book has been exceptional. This lasagna is out of this world. Try it I'm sure you'll love it!!!
Provided by amievv821
Categories Pork
Time 1h40m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- For the sauce: Pre-heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook until translucent. Add garlic, cook until fragrant, or about 30 seconds.
- Increase heat to medium high. Add meat, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer a raw color, but not browned.
- Add the cream and simmer until the liquid is about halved.
- Add the pureed and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer until flavors are blended. About 20 minutes.
- For the Layers:.
- Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the parmesan, the basil, egg, salt, pepper in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until creamy and well combined.
- Smear the entire bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of the sauce. Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce. Drop 3 T. onto each of the noodles and smear with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture. Top with 3 more noodles. Continue this process 2 more times.
- Place the remaining 3 noodles on the sauce, spread with remaining sauce, sprinkle remaining cheese, and parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 487.6, Fat 30, SaturatedFat 16.3, Cholesterol 126.4, Sodium 1413.1, Carbohydrate 29.3, Fiber 4.9, Sugar 17, Protein 28.7
HEARTY MEAT LASAGNA
This classic layered pasta, sauce and cheese dish gets a zesty boost with the addition of chunky, chili sauce.
Provided by Heinz
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Heinzitup.com
Time 1h50m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper, garlic and dried herbs; cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables soften.
- Crumble in beef and pork and brown all over, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice, chili sauce, tomato paste and Worcestershire Sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Spread 1/4 of the sauce in to a 13- x 9-in (3 L) casserole dish. Top with 3 noodles. Layer with 1/4 more sauce and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers twice, ending with cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 348.3 calories, Carbohydrate 36.7 g, Cholesterol 56.6 mg, Fat 13.6 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 22.5 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 914.8 mg, Sugar 2.2 g
HEARTY SAUSAGE AND CHEESE LASAGNA
During the holidays, it's nice to welcome friends and family into your home for a hearty meal of lasagna. Every bite is packed with cheese, sausage and sauce. -Gay Barker, Chanute, Kansas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 2h25m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon. Discard drippings in pan., Add onions to same pan; cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, celery, parsley, bay leaf, brown sugar, oregano, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf., Remove 1 cup sauce from pan. Stir cooked sausage into remaining sauce. Spread reserved sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of each of the following: sausage mixture, ricotta, mozzarella and provolone. Repeat layers (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 303 calories, Fat 18g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 57mg cholesterol, Sodium 715mg sodium, Carbohydrate 17g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 19g protein.
HEARTY MEAT LASAGNA (OAMC)
This recipe comes from a book titled "The Best Make-Ahead Recipe." From the book's jacket: ". . . America's Test Kitchen uncovers the secrets behind truly great make-ahead dishes by reengineering recipes from the ground up to withstand storage and reheating, so your food always tastes fresh and flavorful." I haven't yet tried this recipe but put it here for safe keeping.
Provided by muncheechee
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h35m
Yield 1 Lasagna, 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- FOR THE SAUCE: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the meat loaf mix, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid evaporates and only the fat remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and drained diced tomatoes, Bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
- FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING: Stir all of the ingredients together until combined; set aside.
- TO ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA: Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (avoiding large chunks of meat). Place 3 of the noodles in a single layer in the baking dish. Spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over each noodle, then sprinkle the layer with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce evenly over the cheeses. Repeat the layering of the noodles, ricotta, mozzerella, and sauce twice more. Place the remaining 3 noodles on top, cover with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan.
- TO STORE: Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. (If frozen, the casserole must be completely thawed in the refrigerator, about 24 hours.).
- TO SERVE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the dish and cover tightly with foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray (or use nonstick foil). Bake until the sauce bubbles lightly around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until hot throughout and the cheese is browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- TO SERVE RIGHT AWAY: Bake as directed, reducing the covered baking time to 15 minutes.
HEARTY LASAGNA
Here's a dish that's perfect to share with your sweetie! The heart on top is an easy touch which makes the lasagna extra special. Because you can make it ahead, you won't have to feel rushed when it's time to enjoy your meal. -Marcy Cella, L'Anse, Michigan
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 2h30m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic in oil until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Place carrots and celery in sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse in cold water. Remove and discard carrots and celery. , In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer one-third of the noodles, one-third of the meat sauce, one-third of the ricotta, one-third of the mozzarella and one-third of the Parmesan. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining noodles and meat sauce. , Cut a heart out of aluminum foil and center on top of sauce. Dollop and spread remaining ricotta around heart. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove and discard foil heart. Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 391 calories, Fat 16g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 56mg cholesterol, Sodium 790mg sodium, Carbohydrate 36g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
Tips:
- To make the lasagna ahead of time, assemble it and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.
- If you don't have a meat grinder, you can use ground beef or sausage from the store. Just be sure to brown it well before adding it to the lasagna.
- You can use any type of cheese that you like in the lasagna. Mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan are all classic choices, but you can also try Fontina, Gruyère, or Asiago.
- If you want a vegetarian lasagna, you can omit the meat and add more vegetables, such as mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach.
- Lasagna is a great dish to serve with a side salad or garlic bread.
Conclusion:
This hearty meat lasagna is a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight meal. With its layers of flavorful meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and melted cheese, this lasagna is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give this hearty meat lasagna a try.
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