This meaty lasagna recipe with ricotta, cottage cheese, and fresh mozzarella is made even easier thanks to the no-boil noodles, easily making this the best lasagna recipe.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 50 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 12
Calories 622kcal
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
1poundmild Italian pork sausage
1poundground beef
1teapoon fennel seeds
½teaspoonred pepper flakes
3clovesgarlicpressed or minced
1medium yellow onionchopped
1teaspoonkosher salt
⅓cupwhite wine
6ouncestomato paste
24ouncescrushed tomatoes
15ouncestomato sauce
1teaspoondried oregano
For the lasagna:
16ouncesno-boil lasagna noodles
15ouncesricotta cheese
15ouncescottage cheese
¼cupchopped Italian parsley
½cupparmesan cheese
16ouncesfresh mozzarella cheesesliced
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce:
In a large pot or dutch oven, add the sausage and ground beef. Crush the fennel seeds between your fingers and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes over the meats. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook on medium-high until browned. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the white wine and cook until the wine is absorbed, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to lose its raw flavor and add umami depth. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, and kosher salt, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by a quarter.
Make the Lasagna:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish or lasagna pan. Add a single layer of three uncooked lasagna noodles. Mix the ricotta and cottage cheese in a large bowl with the parsley. Spread 1 ½ cups or so of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then evenly top with about 1 ½ cups of the sauce. Sprinkle with some of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat with two more layers of noodles, the cheese mixture, sauce, and Parmesan, using up all of the cheese mixture but reserving 2 cups of the sauce for topping the fourth and last layer of noodles. Top the sauce with slices of fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and more chopped parsley if desired.
Spray cooking spray over one side of foil before using it to cover the baking dish so the cheese doesn't stick as it bakes. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the noodles are tender. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes so the cheese begins to brown.
Remove from the oven and allow the lasagna to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting. Add extra Parmesan and parsley for serving.
Notes
Lasagna can be prepared ahead of baking and refrigerated for up to 3 days.