Million Dollar Lasagna Recipe
Million Dollar Lasagna is a comforting and hearty Italian-American classic dish featuring layers of tender lasagna noodles, rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and melted mozzarella. This baked casserole is perfect for family dinners or special occasions, delivering rich flavors and satisfying textures in every bite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Lasagna Noodles
- 12 lasagna noodles
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 2 cups marinara or tomato pasta sauce
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside, laying them flat to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chopped onion and minced garlic in a bit of olive oil until translucent. Add ground beef or Italian sausage and cook until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Mix Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, and chopped parsley. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble Lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer 4 cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles followed by one-third of the meat sauce. Repeat layering two more times ending with meat sauce on top. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese evenly over the top layer.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set and makes serving easier.
Notes
- To save time, use no-boil lasagna noodles instead of traditional ones by increasing baking time slightly and adding extra sauce.
- Feel free to substitute ground beef with ground turkey or Italian sausage for different flavor profiles.
- For a vegetarian version, swap meat sauce for a hearty vegetable marinara or mushroom sauce.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave and often taste even better the next day.
- Adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce can give a slight spicy kick.
Keywords: lasagna, Italian recipe, baked pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, comfort food
Find it online: https://dylangranv.com/million-dollar-lasagna-recipe/
