December 6, 2018

Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)

Name: Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 12 slices
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef ((15-20% fat content)); 1 small onion (finely diced); 2 large garlic cloves (minced); 1/4 cup red wine ((any kind), or beef broth); 1 Tbsp olive oil; 24 oz Marinara Sauce ((3 cups)); 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper (ground); 1/4 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 tsp granulated sugar; 2 Tbsp parsley (finely chopped); 9 lasagna noodles (cooked al dente); 16 oz low-fat cottage cheese; 15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese; 1 large egg; 2 Tbsp parsley (finely chopped, plus more to garnish); 4 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)

This EASY Lasagna Recipe is beefy, saucy and supremely flavorful. Homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version and it feeds a crowd for way less than going out to eat.

Lasagna Recipe in Casserole Dish on cloth napkin

We love lasagna around here and have gotten creative over the years with slow cooker lasagna and even a lasagna pasta casserole, but THIS classic lasagna is our all-time favorite.

Lasagna Recipe:

Lasagna is the perfect meal – it keeps, reheats and freezes really well and it is so nice to have something in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week. Also, think: Meal Planning! It also works well for kids lunches – I pack a serving in my son’s thermos to keep it hot and that thermos comes home empty :).

Classic lasagna slice being lifted with a spatula

Ingredients for Lasagna with Meat Sauce:

I used 80/20 beef (20% fat content) for a juicier lasagna
You will need 9 lasagna noodles for a 9×13 casserole dish (You can use gluten free noodles).
Use store-bought marinara, or homemade marinara
Any good red wine (not cooking wine) will work

Substitute for Red Wine?

If you don’t have red wine on hand, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with beef broth or beef stock. The red wine adds great flavor but the lasagna will still be delicious with beef broth.

Ingredients for Lasagna with red wine, ground beef, lasagna noodles, marinara sauce, and 3 cheeses

What is “Al Dente”?

Cooking Al Dente pasta means it should be “firm to the bite.” The package instructions will provide the cook time for pasta to reach the “al-dente” state. Keep in mind, the lasagna will be bake for 45 minutes so do not overcook your lasagna noodles.

How to Keep Cheese from Sticking to Foil:

There’s nothing worse than having your entire top portion of cheese stuck to your aluminum foil cover. Poke 8-10 toothpicks evenly around the top of your lasagna, pushing them in halfway to keep the aluminum foil from touching and sticking to your lasagna.

Just be sure to count and remove every toothpick prior to serving.

Easy lasagna recipe baked in casserole and garnished with parsley

Watch How to Make Lasagna:

Watch Natasha make this classic Italian-style Lasagna Recipe. It is so easy and the best lasagna I have tried with the perfect balance of meat sauce to cheese sauce and noodles. That golden cheese crust seals in all the flavor and makes it irresistible.

If you enjoy our recipes, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and click the bell icon to get notifications when we post a new video. THANK YOU for subscribing!

How to Make Lasagna

Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)

4.95 from 36 votes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This EASY Lasagna Recipe is beefy, saucy and supremely flavorful. Homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version and it feeds a crowd.

This 3 cheese EASY Lasagna recipe is beefy, saucy and supremely flavorful. This homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version and it feeds a crowd!

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $18-$22

Keyword: lasagna, lasagna recipe

Calories: 368 kcal

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

Ingredients for Lasagna

1 lb ground beef (15-20% fat content)
1 small onion finely diced
2 large garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup red wine (any kind), or beef broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
24 oz Marinara Sauce (3 cups)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper ground
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped
9 lasagna noodles cooked al dente

Ingredients for Cheese Sauce:

16 oz low-fat cottage cheese
15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped, plus more to garnish
4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

How to Make Meat Sauce:

Place a deep pan or dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 lb ground beef and diced onion. Saute, breaking up the meat, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Add pressed garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant.
Add 1/4 cup wine and stir for 2 minutes or until wine is nearly evaporated. Add 3 cups marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 Tbsp parsley. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook 5 minutes.

How to Make Cheese Sauce:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 16 oz Cottage Cheese, 15 oz Ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 egg and 2 Tbsp parsley. Mix well.

How to Make Lasagna:

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and 9 lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente according to package instructions.
Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce in the bottom of a deep 9x13 casserole dish.
Add 3 noodles, spread on 1/3 of the meat sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozarella cheese. Spoon on and spread the top with 1/2 of your cheese sauce.
Repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles:
Add 3 noodles, 1/3 meat sauce, 1 cup mozarella cheese, 1/2 cheese sauce
Add 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 meat sauce, remaining 1 cup mozarella.
Poke 9-12 toothpicks over the surface of your lasagna (to keep the foil from sticking to the cheese). Cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese turns golden. Let lasagna rest 30 min before slicing.

Nutrition Facts

Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 368 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 16g 25%

Saturated Fat 8g 40%

Cholesterol 77mg 26%

Sodium 858mg 36%

Potassium 482mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 23g 8%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 5g

Protein 29g 58%

Vitamin A 14.1%

Vitamin C 7.4%

Calcium 43.7%

Iron 11.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclosure

Instagram

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Slice of Italian Style Lasagna on a plate with fork

For kicks and giggles, here are the original photos from this recipe which we shared 8 years ago. Look familiar? The is how yours will look if you try to cut it too early – still tasty but it slides apart.

natashaskitchen

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)

Lasagna Recipe:

Ingredients for Lasagna with Meat Sauce:

Substitute for Red Wine?

What is “Al Dente”?

How to Keep Cheese from Sticking to Foil:

Watch How to Make Lasagna: