Beef and Italian Sausage Lasagna
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
– 1 lb ground beef
– ¾ lb ground Italian sausage
– 1 ½ cups onion, diced
– 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
– 56 ounces canned crushed tomatoes with basil or marinara sauce
– 12 pre-cooked lasagna noodles
– Salt, to taste
– 15 oz ricotta cheese
– 1 egg, whisked
– 12 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
– 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions:
– Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the Meat Sauce:
– In a large pan over medium-high heat, add vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
– Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, and diced onions. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and broken apart.
– Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
– Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
3. Prepare the Ricotta Mixture:
– In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and the whisked egg.
4. Assemble the Lasagna:
– Spread a light layer of meat sauce (~2 cups) on the bottom of a 9×12 baking dish.
– Add 4 lasagna noodles.
– Spread half of the ricotta mixture on top.
– Sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese and ⅓ of the Parmesan cheese over it.
– Add another 2 cups of meat sauce on top and repeat the layers.
– End with a layer of noodles, followed by sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan (no ricotta in the final layer). Tuck in any noodles on the sides into the pan and sauce.
5. Bake:
– Cover with a lid or lightly spray oil on a piece of aluminum foil (to prevent the cheese from sticking). Bake covered for about 20 minutes.
– Remove the lid or foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the cheese is browned. If the cheese isn’t browned, you can put it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, but watch closely to avoid burning.
6. Rest:
– Let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes:
– You will have about 2 cups of pasta sauce leftover. Freeze it for later use or add it to pasta.
– Alternatively, you can use one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and one 14 oz can, instead of two 28 oz cans, if you have difficulty finding the smaller cans.
Enjoy your delicious Beef and Italian Sausage Lasagna!
