Try this Easy Classic Lasagna Recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 105.838219666667 mg
- Fat 31.3961518768333 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 25.4616517026667 g
- Saturated Fat 11.0842855482333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (227g)
- Sodium 530.7030729 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 3.40874666055001 g
- Calories 392 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Brown and drain the meat then return it to the skillet.
- Pour the entire jar of sauce into the meat, stir and heat to boiling.
- Simmer with lid on about 5 minutes.
- Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the dish.
- Top with one layer of lasagna noodles, uncooked.
- Spread a layer of Ricotta cheese onto the noodles.
- Sprinkle the Ricotta lightly with Mozzarella and Parmesan. (Reserve enough for all layers.)
- Now repeat by topping the cheeses with meat sauce, then noodles then cheeses again.
- Begin and end with meat sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and top with reserved mozzarella cheese then return to oven until the cheese is melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
Budget constraints often demand careful calculation when combining expensive proteins like beef and sausage with specialty cheeses like ricotta and parmesan. Doubling this recipe requires a second thirteen-by-nine-inch baking dish rather than a deeper vessel, because thermal penetration fails in layers deeper than three inches. Spreading the meat sauce evenly across multiple pans ensures uniform heat distribution during the initial thirty-minute bake at 375 degrees.
Halving the ingredients fits neatly into an eight-inch square baking pan while maintaining the structural ratio of noodles to filling. Uncooked noodles absorb moisture directly from the sauce during baking, so thinner portions require a slight reduction in liquid to prevent wateriness. Checking for doneness involves watching for bubbling edges and internal steam rather than relying solely on elapsed time.
Freezing unbaked portions preserves the noodle integrity far better than freezing fully cooked squares, which often turn grainy upon thawing. Wrapping tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil protects against freezer burn for up to three months. Thawing frozen pans entirely in the refrigerator over twenty-four hours prevents the outer edges from burning before the center reaches serving temperature.
Reheating single portions works efficiently in a 350-degree oven when covered tightly to retain moisture. Microwave reheating ruins the texture of melted mozzarella, causing the fats to separate and toughen the protein. Aluminum foil acts as a thermal barrier during the first twenty minutes of reheating, ensuring the interior heats through before the top layer browns excessively.
