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Enjoy layers of hearty meat sauce and cheesy goodness with our classic meat lasagna recipe. Perfect for meal prep and freezing for later.
Type of Cuisine:
American
Prep Time: 1 hour.
Cook Time: 45 minutes
How Many Servings?
8 servings
Ingredients:
1X
2X
3X
Adjust Servings
| 2 tablespoons Olive oil | |
| 2 small onions, chopped separately | |
| 6 cloves of garlic, smashed (keep each three separate) | |
| 1 lb of ground beef | |
| 1 lb of ground lamb or pork | |
| 2 teaspoons of salt | |
| 1 teaspoons of black pepper | |
| 1 teaspoon of dry basil, plus 1 cup of fresh chopped basil | |
| 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning | |
| 3 sticks of celery, chopped | |
| 2 carrots, peeled and chopped | |
| 3/ 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes | |
| 2 tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in ¼ cup of warm water | |
| 12 Lasagna sheets | |
| 3 cups of shredded mozzarella | |
| 3 cups of ricotta cheese | |
| 2 cups of parmesan cheese (extra to sprinkle on top when finished) |
Preparation
1
Brown the Meat
In a large Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute. Add ground beef and lamb (or pork) to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spatula. Season with 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and dried basil. Cook for about 5 minutes, continuing to break up the meat. Once cooked, transfer the meat mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute. Add ground beef and lamb (or pork) to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spatula. Season with 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and dried basil. Cook for about 5 minutes, continuing to break up the meat. Once cooked, transfer the meat mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.
2
Build the Tomato Sauce Base
In the same Dutch oven, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté 1 chopped onion for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped celery and carrots, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 3 cans of crushed tomatoes, then add 1 tsp basil, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in ¼ cup warm water. Mix well.
In the same Dutch oven, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté 1 chopped onion for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped celery and carrots, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 3 cans of crushed tomatoes, then add 1 tsp basil, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in ¼ cup warm water. Mix well.
3
Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Reserve ½ cup of the sauce and set aside for later.
4
Combine Meat and Sauce
Return the cooked ground meat to the simmered tomato sauce and stir well. Let it cook together for another 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in 1 cup of freshly chopped basil and mix thoroughly.
Return the cooked ground meat to the simmered tomato sauce and stir well. Let it cook together for another 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in 1 cup of freshly chopped basil and mix thoroughly.
5
Prepare the Cheese Mixture & Preheat Oven
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then mix until well blended. Preheat your oven to 375°F to get it ready for baking.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then mix until well blended. Preheat your oven to 375°F to get it ready for baking.
6
Cook Pasta & Layer Ingredients
Cook lasagna sheets according to package instructions; drain and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups shredded mozzarella, 3 cups ricotta, and 2 cups grated parmesan.
Cook lasagna sheets according to package instructions; drain and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups shredded mozzarella, 3 cups ricotta, and 2 cups grated parmesan.
7
Assemble & Bake the Lasagna
In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spread half of the reserved plain tomato sauce (without meat) on the bottom. Add a layer of cooked lasagna sheets. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of lasagna sheets, followed by a layer of meat tomato sauce. Continue layering cheese mixture, pasta, and meat sauce until all ingredients are used. Finish with a final sprinkle of extra parmesan cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spread half of the reserved plain tomato sauce (without meat) on the bottom. Add a layer of cooked lasagna sheets. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of lasagna sheets, followed by a layer of meat tomato sauce. Continue layering cheese mixture, pasta, and meat sauce until all ingredients are used. Finish with a final sprinkle of extra parmesan cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
8
Enjoy
Let it cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
Let it cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
Use Canned Tomatoes with Tomato Paste
If you don't have fresh tomatoes, use canned crushed tomatoes and stir in a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. This adds extra richness in both flavor and color.
Simmer Meat Sauce for Full Flavor
Cook the ground meat first, then remove it from the pot. In the same pot, prepare the tomato sauce. Once the sauce is ready, return the meat to the pot, stir to combine, and let it simmer together for another 30 minutes to allow the flavors to fully develop.
Lamb or Sausage—Your Call
Use a mix of one pound ground beef and one pound ground lamb for a rich, flavorful base. You can also substitute the lamb with Italian sweet sausage or ground pork for a more traditional twist.
Classic Cheese Trio
For the cheese layer, use a classic combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. This trio gives you creaminess, stretch, and savory depth in every bite.
Let It Rest Before Slicing
✔️ Let It Rest:
After baking, let the lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This gives the layers time to settle and makes serving much easier (and prettier!).
✔️ Pasta Choice:
For convenience, use oven-ready lasagna sheets. Prefer the classic approach? Cook traditional lasagna noodles until al dente before layering.
Bake Covered, Then Uncover to Crisp
Cover the lasagna with foil while baking to prevent the cheese from burning. Then, remove the foil during the last 10–15 minutes to let the top brown and crisp up beautifully.