World's Best Lasagna recipe

Name: World's Best Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 1 egg; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste; 16 ounces ricotta cheese; 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided; 12 lasagna noodles; 1 pound sweet Italian sausage; 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce; 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper; 0.5 cup water; 0.5 cup minced onion; 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 0.75 pound lean ground beef; 0.5 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1.5 teaspoons dried basil leaves; 1.5 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste; 0.75 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Step 4

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.