Description
Maggiano’s-style lasagna invites Italian culinary passion to your dinner table. Layers of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted cheese create a comforting masterpiece you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage)
- 1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded provolone cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- ½ cup water or red wine (for depth of flavor)
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
Instructions
- Sauce Creation: In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until aromatic, then add ground beef and cook until thoroughly browned, draining excess fat.
- Sauce Development: Blend crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the meat mixture, seasoning with Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; introduce red wine and simmer for 20 minutes to intensify flavors.
- Cheese Preparation: Whisk ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and parsley into a smooth, cohesive mixture that will serve as the creamy binding layer.
- Lasagna Assembly: Preheat oven to 375F and prepare baking dish with a thin sauce base; layer noodles, ricotta mixture, meat sauce, and mozzarella-provolone cheese blend, repeating twice and ensuring a generous cheese topping.
- Baking Process: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue until cheese turns golden and sauce bubbles enthusiastically.
- Serving: Rest lasagna for 10 minutes to stabilize layers, then slice and plate alongside warm garlic bread and a crisp green salad for a complete dining experience.
Notes
- Choose Quality Meat: Select fresh ground beef with moderate fat content (80/20) for rich, juicy flavor without excessive greasiness.
- Control Sauce Consistency: Simmer sauce slowly, stirring occasionally, to develop deep flavors and prevent burning; reduce liquid until sauce thickens naturally.
- Layer Strategically: Create even, balanced layers by spreading ingredients carefully and avoiding overstuffing to ensure proper cooking and clean slicing.
- Cheese Temperature Matters: Use room-temperature ricotta and eggs for smoother mixing and more uniform cheese distribution throughout lasagna layers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg