# What You Need:
→ Meat Sauce
01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 0.5 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 0.5 teaspoon sugar
13 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
→ Cheese Mixture
14 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
19 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
→ Assembly
20 - 12 lasagna noodles
21 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - Olive oil for sautéing
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions if not using no-boil variety. Drain and set aside on paper towels.
03 - Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook until completely browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and uniform.
07 - Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over sauce. Spread one-third of ricotta mixture over noodles, top with 1 cup meat sauce, and sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat this sequence twice more, finishing with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
10 - Allow lasagna to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting period allows the layers to set properly.
