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Layers of tender pasta, a rich and savory beef sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella cheese, all baked to golden, bubbly perfection. This classic Italian-American casserole is the ultimate comfort food for a family dinner or special occasion.
For 8 servings
Prepare the Meat Sauce
Prepare the Ricotta Filling
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Layers of tender pasta, a rich and savory beef sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella cheese, all baked to golden, bubbly perfection. This classic Italian-American casserole is the ultimate comfort food for a family dinner or special occasion.
This italian_american recipe takes 130 minutes to prepare and yields 8 servings. At 831.09 calories per serving with 61.1g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for dinner or lunch.
Assemble the Lasagna
Bake and Rest
For a richer, more complex flavor, use a combination of half ground beef and half ground Italian sausage (sweet or hot).
Replace the ground beef with 1.5 lbs of finely chopped and sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, and carrots.
Add a layer of béchamel sauce (a simple white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk) between the ricotta and meat sauce layers for an even richer lasagna.
Increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon or add a tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste to the meat sauce for a significant kick of heat.
The ground beef and three types of cheese provide a substantial amount of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
With generous amounts of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, this dish is an excellent source of calcium, a mineral vital for maintaining strong bones and teeth.
The tomato-based sauce is rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. Cooking tomatoes, as in this sauce, increases the body's ability to absorb lycopene.
A typical slice of this beef lasagna contains approximately 600-750 calories, depending on the exact ingredients used (like the fat content of the beef) and the final serving size.
Beef lasagna is a calorie-dense comfort food. While it provides significant protein and calcium, it is also high in saturated fat and sodium. It is best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Yes, you can. Cook the regular noodles according to package directions until they are al dente (usually 8-9 minutes). Drain them and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process before assembling the lasagna.
A watery lasagna can be caused by a few things: the meat sauce was too thin, using part-skim ricotta which has higher water content, or not letting the lasagna rest after baking. Ensure your sauce is thick and always use whole milk ricotta for best results.
Absolutely. You can assemble the entire lasagna (without baking), cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the initial covered baking time.
Assemble the lasagna in a freezer-safe baking dish. Cover it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.