One family dish that has stood the test of time passed on in the family is our lasagna recipe. When I was growing up we used to have family dinners that included lasagna every Sunday and huge holiday gatherings. Generations all gathered under one roof.
Life was steeped in traditions and easy recipes. I remember our dining room packed with family. My mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and all the cousins. We made lasagna from scratch and it took hours. What was it like when you were growing up?
Unlike my grandma’s generation, we just don’t have all day to make the traditional sauces. Today I’m sharing my version of my family’s lasagna with ricotta recipe. It’s similar but, quicker and easier.
When I make lasagna I make a smaller size for dinner and a larger one to freeze and heat up when we have company. This way I have more time to visit with my family when they come to visit. When everyone gets together it’s just like the old days. Generations gathered under one roof. A dining room packed with family enjoying a delicious simple lasagna.
Lasagna Recipe
Lasagna Recipe With Meat Sauce
How to make lasagna
Step 1. Get your ground beef cooking, plus optional one pound of ground sausage. Use your favorites like sweet Italian sausage but, you can use breakfast sausage. Cook on medium heat until no longer pink (use package directions). Stirring occasionally. I also cook 1.5 lb. of extra lean ground beef.
Step 2. When done remove any excess grease, fat.
Step 3. Now you’ll need to put on your water for noodles if cooking them prior to assembling your lasagna. Salt the water after it boils. You will skip this step if you are using no-boil noodles.
Step 4. In a large bowl, you will make a ricotta cheese mixture. It has 3 cups ricotta cheese
Step 5
When I don’t have time to create my own sauces that take hours to make I pick up Ragu sauces. For my family they are tried and true. No artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup. Ragu is steeped in tradition too. Did you know sauce’s recipe was created by an Italian woman named Assunta Cantisano? She came to America as a single mother with her families tomato sauce recipe in her pocket. Assunta’s recipe for sauce was always slowly simmered, full of flavors and made with fresh grown ingredients. This is the sauce you know as Ragu. Much like my homemade sauce it’s a go to.
Beef Lasagna Recipe
Easy Homemade Lasagna With Meat Sauce
A delicious lasagna that is easy to make. Make this for a crowd or for the family when you are looking for a tasty homemade lasagna. Serve it with salad.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 lb. mozzarella cheese
- 32 oz. ricotta cheese
- 2 jars Ragu Hearty Traditional
- Italian herbs mix
- Dried parsley
- 1 egg
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Large Package Lasagna Noodles
Instructions
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Cook your meats until no longer pink. Drain off any extra grease.
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Add your 2 jars of sauce to the meat, put on low/simmer. Stirring occasionally.
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Boil your water
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Mix together your Ricotta mixture: In a large bowl you will make a ricotta cheese mixture. It has 3 cups ricotta cheese, 1 tbsp. dried parsley, 2 tsp. Italian herb mixture, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and 1 egg. Add all together and stir until mixed. Set to side until needed.
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When water has boiled. Follow directions and cook your noodles. When done drain noodles and rinse with cold water.
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Assemble your lasagna.
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•Layer sauce covering bottom of pan.
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•Layer noodles on top of sauce
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•Add another layer of sauce on top of noodles
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•Add ricotta cheese mixture spooned alternately on noodles with sauce
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•Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
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•Repeat until done
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•Final layer finish with noodles, sauce mozzarella cheese a sprinkle of Italian herbs.
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•Optional sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese
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Cover your lasagna pans tent style closed at bottoms against pan.
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Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling hot and cheeses are melted. Take out of oven let rest a few minutes. Serve with salad and garlic bread. Bon Appetite!
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes 1- 11 3/4" x 9 3/8" pan and 1-7.5" x 12" pan ( pans were approximately 2" deep ) You can make it in advance up to 2 days. Freeze assembled but, uncooked and well wrapped. I typically don't keep them more than a few months. See Food Safety guidelines for freezing and storage.
Step 5.
- At this point, I added two jars of Ragu sauce to the cooked ground meats and put the sauce on low.
- Add salt to the water right before adding the noodles.
- Add lasagna noodles to the boiling water.
- Cook per your package directions. Mine was 8 minutes.
- Drain and rinse with cold water. This helps them from sticking together.
- Next, you are ready for assembling.
How to Assemble Lasagna Recipe
Step 6. Set up your table for assembling
- Layer sauce covering the bottom of the pan.
- Layer noodles on top of sauce; side by side to cover pan
- Add another layer of sauce on top of noodles
- Add ricotta cheese mixture spooned alternately on noodles with sauce
- Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese or sliced mozzarella cheese
- Repeat until done
- Final layer finish with noodles, sauce mozzarella cheese a sprinkle of Italian herbs.
- Optional sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese
It’s really easy to put together lasagna. After you’ve done it a few times you can do it in no time flat.
I promise to share how to layer and assemble the lasagna in images really soon. Until then just follow the directions, it’s easy.
On social media use hashtag #SimmeredInTradition or #Ragu Tag us @dearcreatives with your photos on social media
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I love the idea of making TWO pans of lasagna, I’m totally doing that next time. (Also, your photos are awesome.)
Hi Denise, If your making it honestly it doesn’t take but, 10-15 minutes to assemble a second lasagna. Thanks for the compliment.
This looks delicious! I’ve never made lasagna with ricotta cheese before. My mom always used cottage cheese so that’s how I have always made it. But this looks amazing!
Hi Joanna, ricotta cheese is really great. It has a smoother, richer taste than cottage cheese. But, you can always substitute cheeses and make the filling how you make it. I’ve never used cottage cheese so I can’t even begin to tell someone what measurement’s you’d need. Thanks for stopping by and the compliment.
Theresa, I am drooling over here! I haven’t made lasagna in so long. Mostly because my kids don’t like cheese. My recipe is very similar to this. Now, I’m thinking about putting this on my grocery list. 🙂
Hi Stacie, I don’t make lasagna as often as I’d like. But, when I do I double up! Yeah, there is always someone in the family who doesn’t like something. Can’t wait to see your recipe if you share it!
This looks absolutely delicious! And I love the idea of making a second tray…I’m all about keeping my freezer stocked with meals for those days (or weeks!) when I just don’t feel like cooking!
Hi Julie, Thanks. I do this with my lasagna and my enchiladas. Nice to have it for later, for company & to have a good meal when you don’t feel like cooking.
I love making lasagna and you’ve laid out the steps so clearly. Next time I will have to try it with Ragu. Thanks!