Lasagna 🍅
This lasagna was made with love every year in my family for most holidays. In my family we always start off every holiday dinner with an Italian first course. We will start with either Lasagna, Manicotti, or Stuffed Shells and then we’ll have a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner or a prime rib roast for Christmas.
This Lasagna recipe has also made its way too many baby showers, christenings, and bridal showers too. Of course that doesn’t mean you have to make it for a holiday because this is a beautiful Sunday dinner as well. No matter when you serve it, you and your guests are surely in for a treat. Let’s make it!
Ragu sauce is one of the sauce recipes that once you perfect you can make a ton of Italian dishes. It’s a meat sauce with mirepoix simmered in san marzano tomatoes, Italian herbs, seasonings, and cheeses. It stands and shines alone as a sauce on any given Sunday over your pasta of choice.
Note: Serve the extra Ragu sauce on the side.
I love cooking in both these pots and this red baking dish for my Italian dishes. The blue Martha Stewart 7 quart pot is perfect for my sauces, soups, stews, etc. The pink GreenPan Reserve pot comes in a set of 10 pieces, great buy. These pans are lightweight and durable!
The red STAUB Ceramics Rectangular Baking Dish comes in a set of 2! I use the bigger baking dish for my holiday recipes and bigger family meals and the smaller one for my sides, dips and smaller meals!
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👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store in an air-tight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
🤔 Common Questions
Boil the noodles in salted water until they are al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain them and lay them flat to prevent sticking.
Absolutely! You can make a delicious vegetarian lasagna using layers of vegetables like spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms in place of meat.
🎥 Items Featured In My Video
Lasagna 🍅
Ingredients
- 1 lb lasagna
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef chuck
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 10 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 35 oz whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 24 oz Passata
- 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 bay leaves
- 10 basil leaves ripped up
- 1 tsp salt & cracked black pepper dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper.
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 6 tbsp all purpose flour
- 6 tbsp butter
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 16 oz Ricotta
- 6 oz cubed fresh mozzarella
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Handful of ripped up fresh basil
- 1 tsp of each: salt and pepper
Instructions
- Ragu Sauce
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot; Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in 3 tbsp of olive oil at medium-high heat. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add the garlic once the veggies are translucent and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the ground meat (season the meat with salt and pepper before adding) to the pot and sauté with the veggies until no longer pink.
- If there’s a lot of extra fat use tongs and a paper towel to remove some. BUT LEAVE some in!! Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Hand crush a can of San Marzano whole tomatoes and add into the sauce. Fill the can with 1/2 cup of water and swish around. Add to the sauce. Add a jar of Passata to the sauce. Fill the jar with another 1/2 cup of water and shake, add to the sauce.
- Bring the pot to a boil & add the rest of the seasonings. Cut a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano and add it into the pot.
- Once boiling, lower to a simmer and cover the pot halfway with the lid. Simmer at least 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add fresh basil at the last 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add more if needed. BEST! Make IT!
- Béchamel: In a saucepan whisk together butter and flour continuously for about 5 minutes at medium-low heat. Then add room temperature milk 1 cup at a time. Whisk in intervals until it thickens and add another cup.
- Continue until it’s all added and turns into a slightly thick sauce. Whisk continuously!
- Then add the seasonings and cheese and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside.Boil lasagna until 1 minute before the box indicates al dente. Then remove and separate.
- Mix together the ingredients for the ricotta balls just until combined.
- Assemble:
- Start with adding enough Ragu or meat sauce to cover the bottom of a baking dish. I used a 9×13 baking dish. Then, add 3-4 sheets of lasagna. Cover the lasagna with béchamel sauce evenly.
- Using a small cookie scoop add about 12 small dollops of the ricotta balls. Then, sprinkle over fresh mozzarella & Pecorino Romano Cheese. Add more Ragu or meat sauce next.
- Then, keep repeating until the top! (I made 3 layers)
- LAST LAYER: lasagna, Bechamel, mozzarella, freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, parsley, & basil.
- Bake at 375° F for about 1 hour.
- Cover the first half of baking time with foil. Rest 25 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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