Italian-American Lasagna
This classic Lasagna is made with store-bought lasagna noodles, a hearty meat sauce (ragu), ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the lasagna
- 5 cups meat sauce meat sauce recipe
- 1 pound lasagna noodles
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese sliced
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano finely grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the ricotta mixture
- 1 pound ricotta drained overnight
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- 1/4 cup basil minced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Boil the lasagna noodles (work in batches and stir well to avoid sticking) to very al dente (about 4-5 minutes). Scoop out sheets with a mesh strainer or pasta spider and shock in ice water. Lay flat the lasagna noodles on parchment paper or clean dish towels.
- In a large bowl combine all the ricotta mixture ingredients.
- In a 9 by 13 (or 10 by 15) baking dish place a drop of olive oil and wipe the bottom and sides. Next add a thick layer of meat sauce, completely coating the bottom of the baking dish.
- Place 6 lasagna noodles on the first level (they should slightly overlap). Spread a thick layer of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles, then layer 1/3 of the mozzarella, another thick layer of meat sauce, and finally 1/3 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Repeat the process on the next two layers. On the top layer just add the sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Cover the lasagna with a lightly oiled tin foil cover or parchment paper then foil to prevent sticking.
- Bake the lasagna covered at 375f for 45 minutes in the middle of the oven. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes more until the side noodles are crispy and the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Makes 6 large or 8 decent sized servings.
- This recipe uses meat sauce, from our Pasta al Forno recipe. For a meatless version, you could use our quick marinara sauce or your own sauce.
- Make sure to cook the lasagna noodles to very al dente in batches. Lay out the noodles on clean kitchen towels or parchment paper to make an easy assembly process.
- Any broken lasagna noodles can still be used. They work best in the middle, reserving the good pieces for the outside edge.
- Cover the lasagna with parchment paper, then foil to prevent sticking. Remove the paper and foil for the last 15 minutes to get the noodles nice and crispy. Broiling for 2 minutes right at the end works great but watch carefully!
- After removing the lasagna from the oven, allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the lasagna to settle and will help prevent it from collapsing once you've sliced it.
Nutrition
Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 42.6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17.8g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Potassium: 307mg | Sugar: 1.6g | Calcium: 731mg | Iron: 3mg