Chef Sven's Mouthwatering Homemade Lasagna

Chef Sven • 2023-09-09

Lasagna, the ultimate comfort food! Layers of pasta, meaty sauce, and creamy cheese make for a delicious and satisfying meal. In this recipe, I’m going to share my secret to making the most mouthwatering homemade lasagna.

But first, let me tell you a little story. Many years ago, when I was just starting out as a chef, I had the opportunity to work in a small Italian restaurant in the heart of Rome. The head chef, Nonna Maria, taught me everything I know about Italian cuisine, and it was in her kitchen that I learned the true art of making lasagna.

Nonna Maria’s lasagna was simply out of this world. The layers were perfectly balanced, the meat sauce was rich and flavorful, and the cheese was golden and bubbly. It was a dish that brought people together, and I knew that I wanted to recreate that same magic in my own kitchen.

And now, I’m going to share Nonna Maria’s secret lasagna recipe with you. Trust me, once you try this homemade lasagna, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought again.

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat. Drain any excess fat.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
6. To assemble the lasagna, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
8. Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving. This will help the layers set and make it easier to slice.

Serve Chef Sven’s Mouthwatering Homemade Lasagna with a fresh green salad and garlic bread for a truly satisfying meal. Enjoy!