World's Best Lasagna (Printable Version)

Layered pasta with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted cheese—an Italian comfort classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta and Cheese

01 - 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
02 - 15 ounces ricotta cheese
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meat Sauce

06 - 1 pound lean ground beef
07 - 1 pound Italian sausage, 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook while breaking up the meat until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
05 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg. Mix until smooth.
06 - Spread a layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
07 - Arrange 4 sheets of uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping.
08 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, top with one-third of the mozzarella, then add more meat sauce.
09 - Repeat the layering sequence: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and meat sauce.
10 - Finish with the remaining noodles, remaining meat sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
11 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
13 - Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The uncooked noodles soak up all the sauce flavor while baking, so there's no need to boil them separately and risk breaking half of them.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand over the stove for hours, leaving you free to actually enjoy your guests.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when all the layers have really settled into each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time, I learned this the hard way when I served it immediately and watched it collapse into a beautiful but messy heap on everyone's plates.
  • If your sauce seems thick, add a splash of water or broth before layering, because uncooked noodles need moisture to soften properly.
  • Covering tightly with foil is crucial, any gaps will let steam escape and you'll end up with crunchy noodle edges.
03 -
  • Use a sharp serrated knife to cut clean slices, wiping it between cuts so each piece looks pristine on the plate.
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble it completely but don't bake it, then cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking as directed, adding 10 extra minutes to account for the cold start.
  • For an even richer flavor, brown the meat the day before and let the sauce sit overnight in the fridge so the flavors deepen.
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