WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Print Recipe

https://alcoeats.com/blogs/snacks/easy-lasagne-recipe

• Prep Time - 40 minutes 
• Cook Time - 1 hour

Ingredients

For the meat sauce

• 2 tsp - Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound - Ground beef
• ½ - Medium onion (diced or about ¾ cup)
• ½ - Large bell pepper (diced or about ¾ cup)
• 2 - Cloves minced garlic
• 1 can - Tomato sauce
• 3 ounces - Tomato paste
• 1 can - Crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp - Chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
• ¼ cup - Chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tpsp - Italian seasoning
• 1 pinch - Garlic powder
• 1 tbsp - Vinegar
• 1 tbsp to ¼ cup - Sugar (optional; to taste)
• Salt

To assemble the lasagna

• ½ pound - Dry lasagna noodles (requires 9 unbroken lasagna noodles)
• 15 ounces - Ricotta cheese
• 1-½ pounds - Mozzarella cheese, grated or sliced
• ¼ pound - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Method

• Put a large pot of salted water on your stovetop on high heat. 
• In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and cook until it turns light brown on all sides. Remove the beef with a spoon into a bowl. Drain off all except a tablespoon of fat.
• Cook the onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Add the beef back. Add the diced onions and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for around 4-5 minutes, or till the onions turn translucent, and the peppers get softened. Add the minced garlic now and cook for 30 seconds more.
• Return the browned beef to the pan. Stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Move the beef mixture to a medium-sized pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce to the pot.
• Add the Italian seasonings, oregano, and parsley, adjusting each amount to taste. Sprinkle with garlic powder to taste.
• Sprinkle the red/white wine vinegar. Add in the sugar (Add more, if needed).
• Add salt to taste. (Note: you’ll be adding Parmesan later, which itself is salty)
• Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a low, constant simmer. Cook for about 15-45 minutes, stirring often. Scrape the bottom of the pot often to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom and gets scorched.
• Remove the pot from the heat. 
• By this time, the salted water you started boiling in step 1 should be boiling. Add the dry lasagna noodles now and cook as per package directions. (Note: The noodles can be cooked in advance too). Stir regularly to prevent the noodles from sticking. Make sure that water remains on full boil during the entire cooking process to prevent the noodles from sticking.
• When ready, drain the lasagna noodles in a colander and rinse with cool water, carefully separating any noodles that might be sticking together. 
• Spread a little olive oil on a rimmed, large baking sheet, and spread out the cooked noodles on this sheet, turning them over gently so that they get coated with a little olive oil. This prevents them from sticking together.
• Preheat your oven to 375°F. 
• In a lasagna dish (or big casserole), ladle a cup of the sauce and spread it across the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce. Then pour a third of the remaining sauce over the noodles.
• Sprinkle a layer of 1/3rd of the grated mozzarella over the lasagna sauce. Add half the ricotta cheese, by placing small cheese dollops every couple of inches. Sprinkle half of the grated parmesan cheese evenly on top of the ricotta cheese. 
• Place the second layer of noodles and top it with half of the remaining sauce. Add half of the remaining ricotta cheese, the remaining Parmesan, and the remaining mozzarella.
• Finish with yet another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining sauce over the topmost layer of noodles and sprinkle it with the remaining mozzarella cheese too. 

Bake the lasagna

• Cover the lasagna pan with an aluminum foil such that it doesn't touch the noodles or sauce. Bake the noodles at 375°F for around 45 minutes. Uncover the lasagna in the last 10 minutes if you'd like a crustier top or edges.
• Allow the lasagna to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve mouthwatering lasagna. Enjoy! 

Nutrition facts (Per serving)

 Calories: 813 | Fat: 51g | Carbs: 30g | Protein: 60g