This classic meat lasagna recipe is the perfect dinner the whole family will love. It's perfect for serving a crowd and it makes great leftovers throughout the week!
This lasagna recipe is made with the best meat sauce layered with a cheesy spinach mixture between lasagna noodles. It's always a huge hit, you will want to make this again and again!
How to Make Lasagna:
Cook the noodles:
Boil the noodles in salted water for 4-5 minutes, until slightly undercooked. If they cook fully before baking they will get overcooked in the oven and become mushy. Place the noodles in a single layer on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place more parchment paper between additional layers so they don't stick to one another.
For the cheese mixture:
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, eggs, chopped spinach, and black pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
Make the meat sauce:
I recommend using ground beef that is 80-90% lean.
Heat some olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the ground beef and chopped red onions and cook until the beef is browned and no more pink remains. About 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté an additional minute. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, red wine, salt, and pepper.
The wine adds a perfect depth of flavor, it is a finishing touch to the sauce that is highly recommended. Use a drinking quality dry red wine such as cabernet, pinot noir, or merlot.
How to Layer Lasagna:
Spray a 9 x 13" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Top with a single layer of noodles. Then the cheese mixture, then more sauce. Repeat twice more.
So your layers should look like this:
1. Sauce
2. Noodles
3. Cheese
4. Sauce
5. Noodles
6. Cheese
7. Sauce
8. Noodles
9. Cheese
10. Sauce
Spread shredded mozzarella cheese over the top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.
How to Reheat Lasagna:
This lasagna recipe makes great leftovers- actually even better than the original! Bake leftover lasagna at 375° for about 30 minutes, sprinkle a little water or marinara over the top to prevent it from drying out. To reheat a small amount of lasagna you can sprinkle with water or marinara and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
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📖 RECIPE
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
For the meat sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef, 80% lean
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dry red wine
For the cheese layer
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For topping
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°
- Boil the lasagna noodles in water for 4-5 minutes until just under al dente
- Drain the noodles and set on a pan lined with parchment paper. Add parchment paper in between layers so they don't stick together.
Make the meat sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the chopped red onion and ground beef and sauté until cooked through and no longer pink. Add the minced garlic and sauté an additional minute.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, red wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
For the cheese layer:
- In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, 3 cups of shredded mozzarella, chopped spinach, eggs, and pepper and stir to combine.
Assemble the lasagna
- Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add 1 and ½ cup of meat sauce to the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange the lasagna noodles in a single layer on top of the meat sauce. Top with 1 cup of the cheese mixture and another 1 and ½ cup of the meat sauce. Add another layer of noodles, cheese, and sauce. Repeat this once more, ending with the sauce.
- Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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