Favorite Lasagna

This is a slight adaptation from the recipe at http://www.melskitchencafe.com/my-moms-fabulous-lasagna/ which our whole family loves. The main change is that in the original version there wasn’t enough red sauce so I added an extra can of tomato sauce.

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Favorite Lasagna

  • Total time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
  • Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

Red Sauce:

  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef or Turkey
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
  • 1 Can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 Can (14 oz) Tomato Sauce
  • 1 Can (6 oz) Tomato Paste
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp Dried Basil
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper

Creamy Filling:

  • 1 Container (15 oz) Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
  • 1 Tbsp Parsley Flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Noodles and Cheese:

  • 4 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • 9 No-Boil Lasagna Noodles (Barilla is best)

Directions

  • For the sauce: in a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the ground meat and onion until the meat is cooked through. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.

  • For the filling: in a medium bowl mix the ricotta, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and Parmesan cheese.

  • To assemble: lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Spread 1/2 cup or so of the sauce over the bottom into a thin layer. Layer as follows: 3 noodles, red sauce, creamy filling, mozzarella, 3 noodles, red sauce, creamy filling, mozzarella, 3 noodles, red sauce, remaining mozzarella. (Basically, all layers – the noodles, red sauce, mozzarella – are split into three layers and the creamy filling is divided among two layers.)

  • Cover with greased foil. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 20-30 minutes more until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of lightly greased aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to about 40 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncover and bake 30-40 minutes longer.