Homemade Lasagna Recipe

The best thing about home-made lasagna is that it is really easy to modify and adapt to your own preferences and this recipe contains some suggestions about how to change it up a bit. When you join Mama Caruso’s cooking club, you are connected with a community of everyday cooks who are offering their own suggestions and ideas about how to change up a recipe – and this lasagna recipe has some great ideas about changing it up, making it veggie and gluten-free. So enjoy – from my table to yours.

Homemade Lasagna Recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 6-8 generous
Ingredients
  • 1 large box (1 lb.) Lasagna noodles
  • 1½ lbs. Italian sausage
  • 16 oz. block of mozzarella
  • 2 15 ounce containers of ricotta cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons salt (1 tsp for the boiling water, 1 tsp for cheese mixture)
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper more to taste
  • 24 oz. spaghetti sauce
Instructions
  1. Pre- heat oven to 375º F
  2. Grease or spray non-stick oil a 13 x 9 baking pan
  3. Cook and Prep the Noodles, Meat & Shred the Mozzarella
  4. In a large pot cook the entire box of lasagna noodles as directed on the package
  5. Once the noodles are cooked, immediately drain them in a colander and run cold water over them – rinsing them thoroughly
  6. After rinsing the noodles, spray them with the cooking spray and toss them thoroughly to cover with a tiny (1 teaspoon max) of vegetable oil or melted butter.
  7. Stack the noodles lengthwise on a baking sheet
  8. While the noodles are cooking, place the meat (if using) into a sauté pan and cook until brown.
  9. When the meat is cooked, take it off the burner and let it rest (sit in its juices for a few minutes)
  10. While the noodles and meat are cooking, shred the mozzarella cheese and divide into 3rds]
  11. To make the filling
  12. Place the ricotta cheese into a large mixing bowl
  13. Add the eggs, parsley, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, remaining salt and pepper
  14. With a large spoon, stir the ingredients until they are well mixed and you can see the seasonings evenly distributed
  15. Assemble the lasagna
  16. In the greased 9 x 13 pan spread ½ cup of the spaghetti sauce so that the sauce is lightly covering the entire bottom
  17. On top of the sauce, lay 3 full lasagna noodles side by side so that they form one continuous layer
  18. Spoon 2 cups (about half of the ricotta cheese mixture) on top of the lasagna and spread evenly with a spatula or large butter knife
  19. Sprinkle half of the sausage or meat on top of the cheese mixture
  20. Pour 1 ½ cups of the spaghetti sauce on top of this layer
  21. Sprinkle one of the ⅓ portions of cheese over this entire layer, distributing the cheese as evenly as possible
  22. Repeat steps 11 – 15 layering noodles, ricotta mixture (use all of the remaining mixture), meat (use the remaining meat), spaghetti sauce and then shredded cheese
  23. Place the final layer of noodles on top of the lasagna, pressing lightly over the top to create an even density
  24. Using the remaining spaghetti sauce, cover the top noodle layer
  25. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top layer
  26. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 375º
  27. Look at the sheet of lasagna at 45 minutes to check for the cheese on top melting – I like to take the foil off with 15 minutes left of cooking
  28. Take the lasagna out of the oven when done and let rest (sit without cutting) for 15 minutes (this will let the cheeses set and gives you a nice firm lasagna when you cut into it)
  29. Serve and enjoy


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