classic homemade meat lasagna with layers of rich meat sauce, creamy cheese, and melted mozzarella. Here’s the full, from-scratch recipe:
🧀 Classic Homemade Meat Lasagna
🛒 Ingredients
Meat Sauce
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1 lb (450g) ground beef
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½ lb (225g) Italian sausage (optional but recommended)
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1 small onion, finely diced
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce or 3 cups homemade tomato sauce
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1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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1 tsp sugar (optional)
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1 tsp dried basil
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1 tsp dried oregano
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½ tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Ricotta Cheese Layer
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15 oz ricotta cheese
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1 large egg
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½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
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½ tsp salt
Pasta & Topping
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9–12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven-ready)
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3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
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½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Meat Sauce
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
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Cook ground beef and sausage until browned. Drain excess grease.
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Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft.
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Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
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Stir in marinara, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings.
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Simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(Thick, rich sauce = better lasagna.)
2️⃣ Prepare Ricotta Mixture
In a bowl, mix:
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Ricotta
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Egg
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Parmesan
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Parsley
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Salt
Stir until smooth.
3️⃣ Cook Noodles
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Boil according to package directions.
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Drain and lay flat so they don’t stick.
(Skip if using oven-ready noodles.)
4️⃣ Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a 9×13 baking dish:
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Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on bottom.
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Add noodles (slightly overlapping).
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Spread ⅓ ricotta mixture.
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Add meat sauce.
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Sprinkle mozzarella.
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Repeat layers 2–3 times.
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Finish with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan on top.
5️⃣ Bake
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Cover with foil (spray underside so cheese doesn’t stick).
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Bake 25 minutes covered.
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Remove foil and bake 20–25 minutes uncovered until bubbly and golden.
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Let rest 15–20 minutes before slicing (very important!).
✨ Optional Upgrades
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Add ½ cup heavy cream to sauce for richer flavor
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Mix spinach into ricotta layer
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Use fresh basil instead of dried
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Broil 2–3 minutes at end for golden cheese top
If you’d like, I can also give you:
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A quicker 30-minute version
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A white (Alfredo) lasagna recipe
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A low-carb / keto version
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Or exact measurements in grams 😊