Worlds Best Lasagna (Printable)

Classic Italian comfort food with layers of pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, and melted cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Cheese

01 - 12 sheets lasagna noodles, uncooked
02 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meat Sauce

06 - 1 lb ground beef, lean
07 - 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
08 - 4 cups marinara sauce
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to skillet. Cook while breaking apart meat until fully browned, 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat from pan.
04 - Stir marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and fresh basil into meat mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - In mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg. Blend until smooth texture is achieved.
06 - Spread thin layer of meat sauce across bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish.
07 - Arrange 4 lasagna noodle sheets slightly overlapping across sauce layer.
08 - Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with one-third of mozzarella cheese, then additional meat sauce.
09 - Layer remaining 4 noodle sheets over sauce. Spread remaining ricotta mixture, add another portion of mozzarella, then additional meat sauce.
10 - Place final noodle sheets on top. Cover with remaining meat sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
11 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
13 - Remove from oven and allow lasagna to rest for minimum 15 minutes before portioning and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone spent hours cooking when you've actually been in the kitchen less than two hours total.
  • The uncooked noodles soften perfectly in the oven, meaning no extra pot to boil and no starchy water to drain.
  • One pan feeds eight people and tastes even better the next day reheated.
02 -
  • Don't boil the noodles first; uncooked noodles absorb liquid from the sauce and actually cook more evenly in the oven than pre-boiled ones.
  • Drain the meat properly after browning but don't drain every drop—some fat carries flavor and keeps the dish moist rather than dry.
  • The resting period isn't optional; it's what transforms a hot dish that falls apart into sliceable, beautiful portions.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula or wide server to cut and lift pieces; it gives you more control than a regular spatula and keeps layers intact.
  • If your sauce seems too thin, let it simmer a few extra minutes before layering—thicker sauce means fewer drips and neater slices.
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