Italian-American · Free recipe
Layered Beef Lasagna
Tall layers of tender noodles, a garlicky beef and sausage ragu, creamy seasoned ricotta and stretchy mozzarella bake until the edges go crisp and the top blisters. Letting it rest before cutting gives you clean, sturdy squares instead of a sloppy pile.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 10
- Level
- Hard
Method
-
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the beef and sausage for 8 minutes while breaking them up, then add the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes more until the onion softens.
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Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt, then simmer uncovered on low for 30 minutes until thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a trail; stir in the basil.
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Meanwhile, boil the noodles in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions, drain, and lay them flat on oiled sheet pans so they do not stick together.
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Mix the ricotta, egg, half the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper until smooth. Heat the oven to 375F.
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Spread 1 cup of sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish, then layer noodles, a third of the ricotta, a quarter of the mozzarella and a generous layer of sauce; repeat twice more.
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Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
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Cover with foil tented so it does not touch the cheese and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is spotted brown.
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Rest the lasagna for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Assemble it the day before and refrigerate; add 15 minutes to the covered baking time, and you will get even neater slices because the noodles have absorbed extra sauce.
