Making lasagna may take a bit of time, but you will understand that it is worth the effort when you taste the end result. This world’s best lasagna recipe will help you make a cheesy, meaty and so delicious dish for a perfect dinner.
Lasagna is the epitome of comforting, hearty Italian cuisine, and this recipe doesn't disappoint. The combination of sweet Italian sausage and ground beef creates a rich, flavorful meat sauce that forms the heart of this dish. Don't skimp on the spices and seasonings; they are what elevate the sauce to perfection. Layering is an art when it comes to lasagna, and the order matters. The meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and cheeses come together in perfect harmony with each layer. Be generous with the cheese—it's what gives lasagna that irresistible gooey, golden crust. Remember to let your lasagna rest before serving. This allows the flavors to meld, and it ensures that each slice holds its shape beautifully. Serve it alongside some garlic knots or a crisp arugula-fennel salad for a well-rounded Italian feast. And for those planning ahead, freezing lasagna is a fantastic option. It's like having a homemade Italian meal on standby. Just follow the freezing and reheating instructions for a convenient and delicious dining experience.
How to Make Lasagna
Let’s take a look at how to make the world’s best lasagna. This detailed recipe will help you make it without any complications.
Lasagna Ingredients
- Ground Beef and Ground Pork: These meats provide a hearty and savory base for the lasagna, adding depth of flavor and texture.
- Carrot, Onion, Celery Stalk, and Celery Root: These aromatic vegetables add sweetness, depth, and complexity to the dish.
- Red wine: The red wine adds richness and a hint of depth to the sauce.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a pungent and aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- Bay leaf: It adds a subtle earthy flavor to the sauce, infusing it with a warm and aromatic essence.
- Pelati tomatoes: Pelati tomatoes, or whole peeled tomatoes, form the base of the sauce, providing a rich and tangy flavor.
- White wine: Add acidity and brightness to the sauce with white wine, to balance the richness of the meat and tomatoes.
- Basil: It adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the sauce.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Rosemary: It adds a fragrant and pine-like flavor to the sauce
- Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses: These cheeses add richness and creaminess to the lasagna, creating a gooey and flavorful layer between the sheets of pasta.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper enhance the flavors of the other ingredients, making for a well-seasoned and balanced lasagna.
- Sunflower oil: It is used for sautéing the vegetables and browning the meat
Béchamel sauce
- Wheat flour: Wheat flour is the primary thickening agent in béchamel sauce.
- Butter: Butter adds richness and flavor to the sauce and gives it a velvety consistency.
- Milk: It provides creaminess and richness to the sauce.
- Ground nutmeg: It adds a warm, aromatic flavor and enhances the overall taste of the sauce.
Dough
- Semolina flour: Semolina flour is a coarsely ground flour made from durum wheat. It gives the lasagna noodles a firm texture and slightly nutty flavor.
- Soft 00 flour: It is a finely ground flour made from soft wheat. Soft 00 flour produces a silky, smooth dough that is easy to work with.
- Chicken eggs: Eggs are added to the flour mixture to bind the dough together and provide structure.
- Water: Water is added to the flour mixture to hydrate the dough and facilitate gluten development.
- Olive oil: It is added to the dough to enhance its elasticity and prevent it from sticking.
How to Make Lasagna Step-By-Step
- To make dough: Mix the hard and soft flours, pour them on the table, and make a “well” in the middle. Add two eggs and two yolks, olive oil, water, and 0,1 ounce (3 g) of salt and knead the dough well.
- Put it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for an hour.
- Dice the onion and set aside half of it for the sauce and half for the ground meat. Then, dice the celery (stem and root) and carrots, dice the garlic, and cut the basil into strips.
- Grate the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Next, heat a saucepan, add oil, sauté onion over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, add carrots and celery, and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Then add ground (beef and pork) and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic (half of the chopped mass), red wine, rosemary, and 10,6 ounces (300 g) of Pelati tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
- To make the béchamel sauce: Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the wheat flour for sauce, and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter 3,2 ounces (90 g) and mix well with a whisk. Then, add the milk and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg and salt.
- To make the marinara sauce: Heat a saucepan, add oil, add the rest of the onion, and sauté until golden brown. Then, add the rest of the garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add white wine and brown sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine evaporates. Then, add 7 ounces (200 g) of Pelati tomatoes, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the chopped basil.
- Then, sprinkle flour on the table and place the dough on it. Form a roll and cut it into 5-7 equal pieces. Roll out each piece to 2mm thick (or use a pasta rolling pin).
- Cut the dough to fit the baking dish.
- To assemble the lasagna: Grease the bottom of the baking dish with béchamel sauce, place the first layer of dough, grease with béchamel sauce, place the ground beef, and sprinkle with a mix of cheeses. There should be 5-7 such layers. Cover the last layer with béchamel sauce, sprinkle with a mix of cheeses, and add 3-4 cubes 1,06 ounces (30 g) of butter.
- Preheat the oven to 356 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake the lasagna for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside for 20 minutes to stabilize.
- Cut the lasagna into 8 pieces and serve with the marinara sauce. Garnish with basil.
Chef Recipe Tips:
- To make the lasagna moist, add more béchamel sauce to each layer of dough.
- Buttering the top of the lasagna gives it a crispy texture and golden color.
How Long to Cook Lasagna
To prepare the lasagna, you need to preheat the oven to a temperature of 356 F degrees (180 C degrees). It should take about 30 minutes to cook. After it’s done cooking, let the lasagna rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting into it. To achieve optimal texture and flavor, it is important to follow this instruction.
What to Serve With Lasagna
Looking for side dishes to pair with your lasagna? Look no further than our collection of 12 easy and delicious recipes for inspiration.
- Two-Ingredient Garlic Knots
- Arugula-Fennel Salad
- Balsamic Grilled Zucchini
How to Reheat Lasagna
If you need to reheat lasagna quickly, you can use a microwave, but keep in mind that it will alter the texture of the noodles. The most effective way to reheat lasagna is to use an oven. Just cover the leftover lasagna with foil and bake it at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until it is heated through and the sauce is bubbling.
How to Freeze Lasagna
If you are planning to freeze lasagna, it is best to cook it in a foil baking dish. Once the lasagna is cooked, allow it to cool down to room temperature. Then, cover it with at least one layer of storage wrap. After that, wrap it again with aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. You can freeze it for up to three months.
How to Reheat Frozen Lasagna
To thaw the frozen lasagna, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat it by following the instructions provided. However, if you don’t have the time to thaw in the fridge, you can reheat it from frozen. Just be sure to add a few extra minutes to the cook time to ensure that the dish is heated through.
This lasagna recipe, despite having an extensive list of ingredients, includes many nutritious components such as meat, vegetables, tomatoes, cheeses, and spices. The presence of vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery enriches the dish with vitamins and minerals, making it more nutritionally balanced. The absence of processed foods and artificial additives is also a nutritional plus. However, the inclusion of red meat in the recipe could be a health drawback, especially for individuals monitoring their saturated fat intake. To increase the nutritional value of the dish, one could consider substituting red meat with lighter alternatives such as turkey or lean beef. Sauces like béchamel and marinara add rich flavor and texture to the dish but contain a large amount of butter and milk, making them high in calories and saturated fats. Therefore, caution should be exercised with this dish for those watching their cholesterol levels. This dish is quite heavy for digestion, and I would recommend it primarily for individuals looking to gain weight rather than lose weight. Additionally, it's optimal to consume this lasagna only during lunchtime (preferably after a good workout) when metabolism is at its peak.
Mix the hard and soft flours, pour them on the table, and make a “well” in the middle. Add two eggs and two yolks, olive oil, water, and 0,1 ounce (3 g) of salt and knead the dough well.
Put it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for an hour.
Dice the onion and set aside half of it for the sauce and half for the ground meat. Then, dice the celery (stem and root) and carrots, dice the garlic, and cut the basil into strips.
Grate the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Heat a saucepan, add oil, sauté onion over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, add carrots and celery, and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Then add ground (beef and pork) and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic (half of the chopped mass), red wine, rosemary, and 10,6 ounces (300 g) of Pelati tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
Make the béchamel sauce: Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the wheat flour for sauce, and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter 3,2 ounces (90 g) and mix well with a whisk. Then, add the milk and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg and salt.
Make the marinara sauce: Heat a saucepan, add oil, add the rest of the onion, sauté until golden brown, add the rest of the garlic, sauté for another 2-3 minutes, and add white wine and brown sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine evaporates, add 7 ounces (200 g) of Pelati tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the chopped basil.
Sprinkle flour on the table and place the dough on it. Form a roll and cut it into 5-7 equal pieces. Roll out each piece to 2mm thick (or use a pasta rolling pin).
Cut the dough to fit the baking dish.
Assemble: Grease the bottom of the baking dish with béchamel sauce, place the first layer of dough, grease with béchamel sauce, place the ground beef, and sprinkle with a mix of cheeses. There should be 5-7 such layers. Cover the last layer with béchamel sauce, sprinkle with a mix of cheeses, and add 3-4 cubes 1,06 ounces (30 g) of butter.
Preheat the oven to 356 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake the lasagna for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside for 20 minutes to stabilize.
Cut the lasagna into 8 pieces and serve with the marinara sauce. Garnish with basil.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
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For an extra layer of indulgence, consider using fresh mozzarella instead of pre-shredded. The gooey, melty texture adds a delightful creaminess to each bite. If using fresh mozzarella, slice it thinly and distribute it evenly among the layers. Your taste buds will thank you for the upgrade!
