Worlds Best Lasagna (Printable)

Comforting Italian classic featuring tender pasta layers, rich meat sauce, and melted cheese perfect for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Cheese

01 - 12 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, sweet or spicy, casing removed
08 - 4 cups marinara sauce
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F and allow to preheat completely.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook while breaking apart meat continuously until fully browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and chopped basil. Simmer for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
05 - Combine ricotta cheese and egg in a mixing bowl. Blend until smooth consistency is achieved.
06 - Spread a layer of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
07 - Arrange 4 lasagna sheets across the sauce, allowing slight overlap between sheets.
08 - Distribute half of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with one-third of the mozzarella cheese, followed by additional meat sauce.
09 - Layer remaining noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce in the same sequence.
10 - Top with final noodle layer, remaining meat sauce, and finish with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
11 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese achieves golden color and bubbly texture.
13 - Allow lasagna to rest for minimum 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Chef’s Tips:

01 -
  • The uncooked noodles soak up all the sauce flavor while baking, so there's no extra pot to boil or clean.
  • It feeds a crowd without much active work, and somehow tastes even better the next day.
  • The mix of beef and sausage gives you deeper flavor than either meat alone.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and just slide it in the oven when guests arrive.
02 -
  • If your sauce is too thick, the uncooked noodles won't soften properly. Add a splash of water or broth to thin it slightly.
  • Covering with foil during the first bake is essential. Skipping it means dry edges and undercooked noodles in the center.
  • Resting time is not optional. Cutting into hot lasagna makes it fall apart and look messy on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to get clean slices without dragging the layers.
  • If the edges start browning too fast, tent just the edges with foil strips while the center finishes cooking.
  • Taste your meat sauce before assembling. It should be slightly overseasoned because the noodles and cheese will mellow it out.
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