Pioneer Woman's Lasagna Recipe
Pioneer Woman's Lasagna Recipe is one of the most comforting family meals you can make. It features layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, creamy cheese and plenty of melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cans 14 ounces each crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans 6 ounces each tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
For Assembly
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Extra Parmesan cheese for topping
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Lasagna Noodles
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain them well and set aside to cool slightly.
Brown the Meat
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook until browned, breaking the meat into small pieces while stirring.
Add the Vegetables
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for several minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir often to prevent burning.
Make the Sauce
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together. Simmer the sauce for about twenty minutes to develop flavor.
Prepare the Cheese Mixture
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese. Mix until smooth and evenly blended throughout.
Prepare the Baking Dish
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. This prevents sticking.
Build the First Layer
- Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Add some cheese mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Spread everything evenly.
Repeat the Layers
- Continue layering noodles, cheese mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Finish with sauce and mozzarella on top.
Bake the Lasagna
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for forty minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another twenty minutes until golden and bubbly.
Rest and Serve
- Allow the lasagna to rest for at least fifteen minutes before slicing. This helps the layers stay together when serving.
Notes
- Let the sauce simmer longer for deeper flavor.
- Use freshly grated mozzarella cheese.
- Add spinach to the cheese mixture.
- Try ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Do not skip the resting time.
- Use oven-ready noodles if preferred.
- Add mushrooms for extra texture.
- Sprinkle extra Parmesan on top.
- Freeze before baking for meal prep.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.