Ultimate Comfort Food Lasagna Ricotta (Printable)

Hearty layers of meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella create a warm, comforting dish everyone will enjoy.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meat Sauce

01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 0.5 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 0.5 teaspoon sugar
13 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Cheese Mixture

14 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
19 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

20 - 12 lasagna noodles
21 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - Olive oil for sautéing

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sticking.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.
06 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
07 - Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over noodles, top with 1 cup meat sauce, then sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat this layering sequence twice more, finishing with remaining meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
09 - Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and allow lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the layers to set and makes serving cleaner.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce develops real depth when you let it simmer, giving you that restaurant-quality flavor without the fuss.
  • Three kinds of cheese layered together create this incredible creamy-to-gooey experience that feels indulgent but totally achievable at home.
  • It's the one dish where leftovers are actually better, so you're essentially getting two great meals out of one effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time; it genuinely changes whether your lasagna slices beautifully or falls apart on the plate.
  • If your sauce seems watery after simmering, you can cook it a bit longer uncovered to reduce it and concentrate the flavors.
  • The cheese mixture should have enough salt and pepper on its own—taste it before you spread it to make sure you're not ending up with bland layers buried under sauce.
03 -
  • Make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate it; the flavors actually deepen overnight, and you'll have less to do when you're ready to assemble.
  • No-boil noodles are genuinely convenient, but if you use them, make sure your sauce is saucy enough—they need that moisture to soften properly.
  • Leftovers freeze beautifully, and honestly taste even better when you reheat them because all the flavors have had time to get to know each other.
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