Classic Beef Lasagna
A reliable, deeply comforting lasagna with rich layers of savory meat sauce, tender pasta, and a creamy three-cheese filling that slices perfectly every time.
Equipment
- Deep skillet or Dutch oven
- Large Pot
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Deep 9x13 baking dish
- Aluminum Foil
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
Ingredients for Lasagna:
- 1 lb ground beef, (15-20% fat content)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry red wine, or beef broth
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 28 oz Marinara Sauce, (3 cups)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
Ingredients for Cheese Sauce:
- 16 oz low-fat cottage cheese
- 15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
Instructions
Build the Umami Meat Sauce
- Set a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onion and ground beef, cooking for 5 minutes while breaking the meat into small crumbles, until the onions soften and the meat loses its raw pink color and starts picking up browned edges.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant and mellow, and the bottom of the pan has a little browned flavor built up.
- Pour in the dry red wine and stir for about 2 minutes, scraping up any flavorful bits, until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Add the marinara sauce, sea salt, black pepper, dried thyme, granulated sugar, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce looks thick, glossy, and meaty.
Mix the Cheese Filling and Prep the Noodles
- In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the egg, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Stir until the mixture is evenly blended and creamy, with no streaks of egg left behind.
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the 9 lasagna noodles until al dente according to the package directions, then drain and immediately rinse with cold water so they stop cooking and stay easy to handle for layering.
Layer the Lasagna
- Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce across the bottom of a deep 9x13 baking dish. This first thin layer keeps the bottom noodles from sticking while adding moisture from the start.
- Lay down 3 noodles, spoon over 1/3 of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spread half of the cheese filling gently over the top, then repeat the layering pattern until you have 3 noodle layers and an evenly built casserole.
Bake, Broil, and Rest
- Insert 9 to 12 toothpicks over the top of the lasagna, spacing them so they will hold the aluminum foil slightly above the cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the top turns golden brown and bubbly in spots. Let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes before slicing so the layers can firm up and cut cleanly.
Notes
Sauce Consistency: The meat sauce should look thick enough to mound lightly on a spoon, not thin enough to run into the corners of the pan. A watery sauce will result in a sloppy lasagna.
Toothpick Trick: Poking 9 to 12 toothpicks halfway into the unbaked top layer creates a little tent under the foil so the melted mozzarella never sticks to the aluminum cover.
Bottom Layer Insurance: That first swipe of sauce in the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish is essential. It cushions the bottom lasagna noodles and keeps them from sticking and scorching.
Resting Time: A lasagna that slices neatly requires 30 minutes of resting time. During this period, the starches in the al dente pasta begin to firm back up and the cheese stabilizes.
Make-Ahead: You can assemble the entire lasagna a day ahead, cover it tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.