Lasagna, a classic Italian dish, is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a comforting and flavorful meal that can be made with a variety of different ingredients, making it a great option for any occasion. If you are looking for an authentic Italian lasagna recipe, there are a few things you need to know. First, you will need to use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This includes using real Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. Second, you will need to take the time to make the sauce from scratch. This is not a dish that can be rushed, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to simmer the sauce. Third, you will need to layer the lasagna properly. This means alternating layers of pasta, sauce, cheese, and meat. Finally, you will need to bake the lasagna until it is golden brown and bubbly.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
SIMPLY TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
A traditional lasagna, with about half the time and effort! I always cook extra to have leftovers, but the more I cook, the more they eat! Serve with garlic toast and salad.
Provided by Kris Swiggum
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease. Stir in the water and black olives, and season with basil, garlic powder, oregano, sage, pepper, minced garlic, and onion flakes. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the marinara sauce, and remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Place a layer of the meat and sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of dry noodles. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the noodles, and sprinkle with a little mozzarella cheese. Cover with another layer of sauce, and repeat layering ending with the meat and sauce on top. Reserve about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese for later.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, but check after 30 minutes depending on how thick the lasagna is. Lasagna is cooked when you can easily stick a knife into it. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes for a nice melted cheese topping.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 735.5 calories, Carbohydrate 62.5 g, Cholesterol 103.8 mg, Fat 34.6 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 43.8 g, SaturatedFat 14.7 g, Sodium 1452.5 mg, Sugar 12 g
CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNE
Theo Randall shares his authentic Italian lasagne recipe, with a creamy béchamel sauce and classic defined layers. Everyone's favourite family meal
Provided by Theo Randall
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 3h30m
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- For the ragu, melt the butter in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat until foaming. Add the celery, carrot, onion, porcini, rosemary and some seasoning, and fry for 5 mins.
- Season the meat, add to the dish and cook for 5 mins until browned. Pour in the wine, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, put the lid on the dish and cook for 1hr 30 mins, removing the lid for the final 30 mins so the sauce can reduce. The meat should be tender but not too broken up, and the sauce should be thick. Taste for seasoning. You can cook it for longer if you have time - the flavour will only improve.
- For the béchamel sauce, pour the milk into a saucepan with the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, turn off the heat and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat, then whisk in the flour and hot milk. Whisk vigorously until smooth, then cook for 10-15 mins until very thick. Remove the bay leaf and season, grating in nutmeg to taste. Stir in the parmesan and egg yolks, then set aside to cool.
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Working in batches of three, plunge the pasta sheets into a pan of boiling salted water for 20 secs, just to soften, then immediately put in a bowl of ice-cold water.
- Rub oil onto the base and sides of a large baking dish. Put a layer of pasta on the base, then add a layer of ragu, followed by a layer of béchamel sauce. A good tip, for really defined layers, is to pipe the béchamel sauce over.
- Repeat this process until you have used all the pasta and ragu, and finish with a layer of béchamel sauce on top. Sprinkle the top with a generous layer of parmesan.
- Bake in the oven for 40-45 mins or until bubbling and golden brown, then remove from the oven and leave to settle for 10 mins.
- Cut the lasagne into squares and let it sit for another 10 mins before serving - this keeps the layers defined and helps it cool down more quickly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 729 calories, Fat 42 grams fat, SaturatedFat 23 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 38 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 45 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium
BEST ITALIAN LASAGNA EVER!
This is the best lasagna recipe I have ever made. I had one lasagna several years ago that was out of this world and while this is not the same one, it is the closest one I have ever found. I like to make two and freeze one for later use.
Provided by alhardin
Categories Kid Friendly
Time 1h20m
Yield 1 lasagna, 8-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Boil noodles and drain (you may also use uncooked noodles).
- Sauté garlic, sugar and salt.
- Add sausage and ground beef and brown, breaking into small crumbles.
- Add basil, pepper, tomatoes and paste; simmer 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Mix together in bowl, ricotta, egg and parsley (add milk if it's too thick).
- Layer sauce to cover bottom of pan, noodles 1/2 of ricotta mixture, 1/4 c of parmesan, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, sauce and parmesan.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and bake another 25 minutes.
- Let cool about 10-15 minutes then cut and serve.
- Leftovers may be frozen and then heated in the oven until hot and melty.
- Goes great with crusty garlic toast and a salad.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 890.3, Fat 53, SaturatedFat 26.2, Cholesterol 196.3, Sodium 2022, Carbohydrate 47.7, Fiber 3.8, Sugar 12.5, Protein 55.6
TRADITIONAL LASAGNA
My family first tasted this rich, homemade lasagna recipe at a friend's home on Christmas Eve. We were so impressed that it became our own holiday tradition as well. I also prepare it other times of the year. This classic lasagna recipe is requested often by my sister's Italian in-laws-I consider that the highest compliment! -Lorri Foockle, Granville, Illinois
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h40m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble beef and sausage until no longer pink; drain. Add next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if desired., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add parsley; stir in cottage cheese, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. , Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 1 cup meat sauce in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, 3 noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full)., Cover; bake 50 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 503 calories, Fat 27g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 136mg cholesterol, Sodium 1208mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 36g protein.
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CROCK POT LASAGNA
This is the traditional lasagna recipe my Italian grandmother handed down. I adapted it for a 6-quart crock pot. Can be assembled the same way and baked in a 350 degree oven for one hour. ** 7/07 Note: Thanks to dmac, I wanted to add that I also at times make this sauce using sausage taken out of the casing. Brown after the ground beef, reserving with drippings. Add to the sauce at the same time with ground beef.** *** 1/1/08 Additional notes: Can also add another layer of 1.5 pounds of browned ground beef (seasoned with salt and black pepper to taste), Italian sausage, or a combination. The additional layer will make the lasagna come to the top of a 6-qt. crockpot, but I did not have any problems with overflow. Cook for a total of 6 hours on low. I have also used this recipe in a 12-qt. roaster oven using the bake feature, increasing all of the ingredients proportionately (using 2 eggs) to feed a larger crowd. If increasing the amount of sauce you make, use 2 cans of paste for every 2 cans of tomatoes and increase all other ingredients proportionately. I cook this on 350 degrees for one hour with the mozzarella slices on it from the beginning, just as I would if in a conventional oven. I have also assembled this a day ahead of time and put in the refrigerator until ready to cook the next day.***
Provided by Maureenie
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 5h30m
Yield 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic in Dutch oven.
- Add ground beef and cook until lightly browned.
- Add salt and pepper and mix well. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
- Add tomato paste and cook approximately 5 minutes, until browned.
- Add crushed tomatoes, basil, wine, sugar and hot pepper. Stir in the browned ground beef and mix well.
- Cover and let simmer 30 minutes while you prepare the cheese mixture.
- Place ricotta cheese in large mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add 1/2 cup Romano cheese, mozzarella cubes, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, beat egg lightly. Pour into center well with cheeses.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- When tomato sauce has cooked for 30 minutes, spoon a layer of tomato sauce into a 6-qt. oval crock pot.
- Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, overlapping and breaking pasta to fit all around the bottom, if necessary.
- Add half of the ricotta mixture and carefully spread over lasagna noodles with a frosting knife.
- Cover with a layer of sauce. Then add another layer of lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce.
- End with a final layer of lasagna noodles and the remaining sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. (I have to set mine on 8 hours and shut it off or switch it to keep warm after 4 hours since my slow cooker cooks anything under 8 on high.).
- In the last 60 minutes, sprinkle top with remaining Romano cheese and slices of mozzarella.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 358.3, Fat 21.8, SaturatedFat 11.4, Cholesterol 87.6, Sodium 581.5, Carbohydrate 17.1, Fiber 3.5, Sugar 2.5, Protein 23
CLASSIC LASAGNA
Make this classic lasagna recipe zestier by using hot Italian sausage or a little milder with regular Italian sausage. Don't be scared off by the long cooking time. The wait is well worth it. It's a great dish to make for a crowd and easy to adjust for varying tastes. The leftovers are even better when reheated the next day.
Provided by Barb R
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and olive oil; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
- Cook the ground beef and sausage in a large pot over medium heat; drain. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic salt, oregano, thyme, basil, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
- Ladle enough of the meat sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Form a layer atop the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese mixture and then ladle about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice more, topping with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven 90 minutes. Allow to sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 646.7 calories, Carbohydrate 31.2 g, Cholesterol 173.5 mg, Fat 41.4 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 38.8 g, SaturatedFat 18 g, Sodium 2027.4 mg, Sugar 9.1 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients, especially for the cheese. Fresh, whole milk mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano are essential for authentic lasagna.
- Don't overcook the noodles. They should be al dente, or slightly firm to the bite.
- Make sure the sauce is simmered for at least 30 minutes, or longer if possible. This will allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of cheese. You can use a variety of cheeses in your lasagna, such as ricotta, asiago, or fontina.
- Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This will help the lasagna to set and the flavors to meld together.
Conclusion:
Lasagna is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please everyone at your table. With its layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce, lasagna is a hearty and flavorful meal that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you are making it for a special occasion or just a weeknight dinner, following these tips will help you make the best lasagna possible.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love