Basil

Weeknight Lasagna

February 13, 2021February 13, 2021

Top down view of large white pan filled with homemade lasagna with golden cheese on top and one piece missing

Lasagna seems to be a dish of which each family has their own special version, one that they feel is the ultimate recipe. I make no attempt to say I have the best or “true” lasagna. In fact, an authentic Italian cook would most likely scoff at what I believe is an amazing recipe.

Never the less, I’m excited to share with you my version of a classic and delectable lasagna. Preparation for this dish takes a little extra time but when completed your family will be asking for it time and again. With six perfect layers, the lasagna is exactly the comfort you crave on a winter’s evening.

This has become a classic recipe in my family and will become a staple in yours as well. Serve with a salad and enjoy!

Side view of lasagna with piece cut out sitting in white container

Side view of white pan with lasagna in it with hand holding cut piece above pan

Watch how to make this weeknight lasagna:

Top down view of white pan holding cheese covered lasagna with rag underneath

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4.16 from 13 votes

Weeknight Lasagna

Made from a few layers of delicious noodles, cheese, and sauce, this is the perfect weeknight meal to serve! It even comes complete with a homemade red sauce to round out the whole thing!

Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time1 hour

Total Time2 hours 30 minutes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: dinner, lasagna, pasta, weeknight meal

Difficulty: Intermediate

Method: Baking

Servings: 15 pieces

Author: Kaleb

Ingredients

2 lb ground beef
1 cup diced onion
2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp dried basil
½ tsp red pepper flakes
6 oz tomato paste
2 cups tomato sauce
10 oz lasagna noodles (10-12 noodles)
30 oz ricotta cheese (2 15-oz containers)
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (reserve ½ cup)
1 lb mozzarella cheese
¼ cup parsley
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Instructions

In a large 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high. Saute the onion with 1 tsp salt until soft and translucent, 6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the ground beef. Break up the beef and cook until browned, 8-12 minutes. Add salt, red pepper flakes, dried basil, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, pepper, 1 tsp salt, and parsley. Mix all ingredients.
Cook lasagna noodles al dente with six quarts of water. Once boiling, add ¼ cup of salt. Cook for 8-11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Grease a 9×13 pan well. Star by layering ½ cup of the red sauce evenly on the bottom of the pan. This will be a very thin layer but helps the pieces come out of the pan when removed. Layer noodles in the pan, slightly overlapping. The noodles may not be long enough for the pan, so a noodle may need to be cut to fit. Spoon half the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. Next, add a layer of half the meat and red sauce. Layer on half a pound of mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layering, starting with the noodles. Finish with the remaining half pound of mozzarella cheese and reserved parmesan cheese.
Note: At this point, the lasagna can be covered up tightly and frozen for up to one month. When ready to bake, let thaw in the refrigerator for eight hours.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, bubbling throughout the lasagna. Once baked, cool for 15 minutes before cutting into pieces.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 pieceCalories: 402 kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 23.6 g (8%)Protein: 38.4 g (77%)Fat: 16.6 g (26%)Saturated Fat: 9.3 g (58%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7 gMonounsaturated Fat: 5.4 gTrans Fat: 0.2 gCholesterol: 108 mg (36%)Sodium: 1056 mg (46%)Potassium: 597.2 mg (17%)Fiber: 3.7 g (15%)Sugar: 4.6 g (5%)Vitamin A: 178.3 IU (4%)Vitamin C: 8 mg (10%)Calcium: 626.4 mg (63%)Iron: 3 mg (17%)