Easy Beef Lasagna Recipe

5 from 5 votes

This homemade beef lasagna recipe is an easy & hearty dinner to feed a crowd. A delicious meaty marinara sauce along with a cheesy, herbed ricotta filling are layered between lasagna noddles, topped with more cheese then baked to bubbly perfection. An authentic meat lasagna just as delicious as your favorite Italian restaurant!

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: Servings

Author: Laura

Equipment

Ingredients

16 ounces lasagna noodles (cooked al dente)

Sauce

1 pound ground beef
½ onion (finely diced, about 1 cup onion)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper
26 ounces marinara sauce

Ricotta mixture

30 ounces Ricotta Cheese
3 large eggs
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
4 ounces mozzarella cheese (1 cup, shredded)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon Pepper

Topping

8 ounces mozzarella cheese (2 cups, shredded)
¼ cup parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the Sauce

In a 5-quart saucepan, cook the ground beef, onion, garlic, sea salt and pepper until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Break up clumps of meat into small pieces as you stir and cook.
Stir in marinara sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preferences. Set aside.

Make the Ricotta Mixture

Combine ricotta, eggs, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Assemble the Lasagna

Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish.
Top with a layer of lasagna noodles (5 lasagna noodles per layer).
Spread ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, then spread 1 cup sauce over the cheese.
Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 3 layers of cheese/sauce.
Top with the last layer with noodles and the spread the remaining sauce over the noodles.
Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.

Bake, Cool & Serve

Loosely cover with aluminum foil (tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese).
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.
Let cool slightly and serve garnished with fresh parsley and basil.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

Ground beef. Use 85 to 90% lean ground beef for the best results. Ground chicken or turkey are also great substitutions,.
Marinara sauce. choose your favorite variety, I suggest tomato basil.
Parmesan cheese. Romano is a good substitute.
Fresh basil & parsley. I highly recommend fresh herbs for this recipe, however you can use freeze-dried herbs if necessary.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Freeze

You can freeze this beef lasagna two ways.

Freeze before baking. To do this, completely assemble the lasagna, then put it in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil (or the baking dish lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe instructions.

Freeze baked leftovers. If you wind up with a lot of leftovers, you can flash-freeze individual pieces on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or vacuum seal them and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Nutrition