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Classic Christmas Lasagna with Ricotta and Meat sauce

Classic Christmas Lasagna with Ricotta and Meat Sauce

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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 generous slices

Equipment

  • Large Skillet or Dutch Oven For preparing the meat sauce. A deep, heavy-bottomed pan helps prevent splattering and ensures even cooking.
  • Large pot To boil the noodles. Make sure it’s big enough to allow the noodles to move freely without sticking.
  • Colander For draining pasta.
  • Mixing bowls One for the ricotta mixture, another if prepping sauce ingredients in advance.
  • 9x13 baking dish This is the standard size for lasagna and gives you the perfect height for layering.
  • Aluminum foil For covering the lasagna during baking to prevent over-browning.

Ingredients
  

For the Meat Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground beef 85% lean recommended
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage mild or hot, casing removed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for heat
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

For the Ricotta Mixture

  • 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

Other Layers

  • 9 lasagna noodles regular, not no-boil
  • 3 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
  • Additional 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for topping

Instructions
 

Make the Meat Sauce

  1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Add ground beef and sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 8–10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and let it cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add sugar, oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat, and let it cook for 20–25 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened. Discard bay leaf.

Prepare the Ricotta Mixture

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and parsley. Stir until well blended and smooth. Set aside.

Cook the Noodles

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and lay them flat on a baking sheet or parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Assemble the Lasagna

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom.
  2. Layer 3 noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping if needed. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella and a few spoonfuls of meat sauce.
  3. Repeat this layering twice more—noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, sauce—until all ingredients are used. Finish with a layer of meat sauce and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake

  1. Cover the dish with aluminum foil (tent it so it doesn’t touch the cheese). Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 20–25 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden.
  2. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This helps everything set up beautifully and makes serving much easier.