The Best Lasagna Recipe
The Best Slow-Simmered Lasagna Recipe (Family Favorite!)
If there’s one lasagna recipe I keep coming back to, it’s this one—originally shared by my father-in-law over a cozy dinner at his house. After one bite, I knew I had to have the recipe. The rich, flavorful sauce had clearly been simmering for hours, and it was the kind of comfort food you don’t forget.
He printed it out for me that night, and I now have it laminated in our family recipe binder—one of our most treasured kitchen staples. While I’m not sure which cookbook it originally came from, I’ve since adapted it to suit our taste and pantry staples. And let me tell you—this version is a keeper.
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna Recipe
- Easy to customize with what you have on hand
- Deep, rich flavor from the slow-simmered sauce
- A hearty, satisfying meal the whole family loves
- Freezes beautifully for busy nights
One of the best parts about this lasagna recipe is its flexibility. As long as you take your time with the sauce and let it simmer low and slow, the end result will be absolutely delicious.
Main Ingredients for the Lasagna Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- Onion
- Garlic
- 2 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (or use whole San Marzano tomatoes and blend them)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Seasonings
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Optional: 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Sage
- Thyme
Cheese Mixture
- 1.5 cup cottage cheese
- 1.5 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
Additional Ingredients
- 2–3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Lasagna noodles (oven-ready or boiled, your preference)
How to Make This Hearty Lasagna
1. Prepare the Meat Sauce (Start Early!)
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (I use my Staub 7qt Cocotte), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and pork along with 1 tsp of salt. Brown the meat until mostly cooked.
Add diced onion and garlic, then sauté until soft and fragrant. Drain excess fat if needed.
Stir in your seasonings for the meat: oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, maple syrup, and white vinegar. If you’d like to mimic the flavor of sweet Italian sausage, add a pinch of dried sage and thyme.
Then mix in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Add sugar if desired. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce will reduce and become thick, rich, and flavorful.
2. Mix the Cheese Filling
While the sauce simmers, mix together the cottage cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, oregano, fresh parsley, and salt. Set aside in the fridge.
3. Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a 9×13 baking dish, layer the ingredients in the following order:
- Pasta
- Meat sauce (about 1 cup)
- Cheese mixture (about 1 cup)
- Mozzarella (a generous sprinkle)
Repeat for three total layers, ending with a thick layer of mozzarella on top.
4. Bake the Lasagna
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Let rest for 10–15 minutes before serving to help the layers set.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Freezer-Friendly Sauce: You’ll likely have leftover meat sauce—perfect for freezing and saving for a quick pasta night.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance. Just refrigerate it until ready to bake. Or you could freeze it for a rainy day!
The Best Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 Onion diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (or use whole San Marzano tomatoes and blend them)
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth
Seasonings for Meat Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Sage
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
Cheese Mixture
- 1.5 cup cottage cheese
- 1.5 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- ½ tsp salt
Additional Ingredients
- 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 Package Lasagna noodles oven-ready or boiled, your preference
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and pork with 1 tsp salt. Cook until browned.
- Add onion and garlic. Sauté until soft, then drain excess fat.
- Stir tomato paste and seasonings into the meat (oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sage, maple syrup, vinegar) Let those cook together for a minute or two.
- Stir in tomato paste, crushed and diced tomatoes, beef broth and sugar and remaining 1 tsp of salt.
- Simmer uncovered (or lid slightly ajar) on low heat for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until sauce is rich and thick. Adjust salt to taste.
Prepare Cheese Mixture
- In a bowl, mix together cottage cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tsp oregano, parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.
Assemble the Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a 9×13 baking dish, layer in this order:
- Lasagna noodles
- 1 cup meat sauce
- 1 cup cheese mixture
- Mozzarella cheese
- Repeat for 3 layers, finishing with mozzarella on top.
Bake
- Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. If you don't like it extra crispy, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.
- Let rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.
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