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Easy lasagna recipe with ricotta baked in a white dish, topped with golden melted mozzarella and parsley

Easy Lasagna Recipe with Ricotta

Three layers of noodles, a beef and Italian sausage meat sauce and a creamy ricotta and mozzarella filling, baked in a 9x13 dish until the cheese is golden. Makes 12 squares.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Rest Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ricotta filling
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese about 2 cups
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Meat sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion finely diced
  • ¾ pound ground beef
  • ¾ pound ground Italian sausage
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 40 ounces marinara sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Layers
  • 12 lasagna noodles plus 2 or 3 extra in case some tear
  • 2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese for the top
  • fresh parsley chopped, to garnish

Method
 

Make the ricotta filling
  1. In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, egg, 2 cups of mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until evenly mixed. Set aside.
Cook the meat sauce
  1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef and sausage and raise the heat to medium-high. Break the meat into fine crumbles and cook until no pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes (160°F). Stir in the garlic for the final minute. Drain off the grease.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pot. Stir in the marinara, tomato paste, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, while the noodles cook.
Boil the noodles
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles to al dente, following the package time and stirring occasionally.
  2. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool, and lay the noodles flat in a single layer on parchment or wax paper.
Assemble
  1. Spread about 1 heaping cup of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Arrange 4 noodles on top, overlapping slightly. Spread with one third of the ricotta filling, then about 1½ cups of meat sauce.
  3. Repeat with 4 more noodles, another third of the filling and about 1½ cups of sauce.
  4. Finish with the last 4 noodles, the remaining filling and all the remaining sauce. Scatter 2½ cups of mozzarella over the top.
Bake
  1. Coat one side of a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the dish, sprayed side down. Bake for 35 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
  3. Rest for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, cut into 12 squares and serve.

Notes

Make ahead: assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. A cold dish needs longer under the foil; bake until the center is hot and bubbling before uncovering.
Storage: refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 350°F until 165°F in the center.
Meat: you can use 1½ pounds of all ground beef or all Italian sausage.
Recipe adapted from The Cozy Cook.