Classic Italian Lasagna

/ Jodi

Classic Italian Lasagna.

I’ve shared before, and I’ll declare again… although I don’t have a drop of Italian heritage (that I know of) in me, I am an Italian “wannabe.”

I love cooking and eating Italian food.

Years ago – even before I was married – I worked with a young Italian woman who generously shared her Mom’s classic Italian lasagna recipe with me.

I have never made it any other way.  It is simple and classic and DELICIOUS!

I’ve adapted it to a smaller portion than the recipe originally shared with me since these days this size will last Hubby and I plenty long enough to almost grow tired of eating it for so many days in a row…. ALMOST!

When you are craving classic Italian lasagna, I hope you will give this recipe a try.  Here is how I make it.

Lasagna

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart marinara tomato sauce
  • 1 lb. ground beef, pork, turkey (or combination)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 box Barilla Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
  • 2 cups Ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried basil or 1/4 cup freshly minced basil
  • 1/4 cup chopped parley
  • 1 lb. fresh Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
  • 8 oz.  Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese, freshly grated

Directions:

Heat olive oil in saucepan.  Add chopped onions and minced garlic, and saute until soft.  Add ground meat, and cook until browned.  Add marinara tomato sauce and simmer.

In medium bowl, mix Ricotta cheese, egg, salt, basil, and parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In 8 or 9 inch square baking dish, spread 1/2 cup prepared meat sauce on bottom.  Layer with lasagna noodles – overlapping to cover.  Layer with half of Ricotta cheese mixture.  Top with sliced Mozzarella cheese.  Spoon more sauce over cheese to cover.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.   Repeat layering.  End with sauce topped with remaining Mozzarella and sprinkled with Parmesan.

Cover with foil.  Bake 25 minutes.  Remove foil.  Bake 20 minutes longer or until browned and bubbly.  Cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Mangia tutti!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

51 thoughts on “Classic Italian Lasagna”

  4. My mouth is watering! That really does look a beauteous lasagne and such good providence being an the recipe of a proper Italian Mamma! I am most interested in the cheese sauce element – I have always made a béchamel but this looks so much better – all that eggy ricotta and topped of with mozzarella. I have to make the occasion to make this and soon!!!

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  13. Your recipe looks close to how I make it except I don’t use fresh cheeses. I imagine this makes a big difference? Love lasagne and experimenting in different ways to make it. One of my favorites was a mushroom and bean one my sister made, it was really delish the next morning cold for breakfast! I also make a veggie one that is really good! I like that you use the noodles that are oven ready, saves so much time! 😃

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  16. Thankfully, I am a much better cook than baker…though, some might disagree. I love homemade Lasagna and I will definitely give this a try, minus the onion and less garlic (of course). I’ve never used oven ready noodles, but if it saves time I love it. I appreciate the smaller portion recipe too. Thank-you!

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  19. Don’t you just love those pre-cooked lasagna noodles? They make preparing a lasagna so much easier! I also think your recipe is better than mine, so I’m going to switch to this one. Like you, I have not Italian blood in me whatsoever, which I have always thought of as one of nature’s mistakes. Because I LOVE Italian food, and the culture in general. I was meant to be Italian!!!

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