World's Best Lasagna

Name: World's Best Lasagna with Sausage and Beef
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Italian Inspired
Ingredients: 1 pound sweet Italian sausage; 0.75 pound lean ground beef; 0.5 cup minced onion; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce; 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste; 0.5 cup water; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided; 1.5 teaspoons dried basil leaves; 1.5 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 0.5 teaspoon fennel seeds; 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper; 12 lasagna noodles; 16 ounces ricotta cheese; 1 egg; 0.75 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced; 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese

This sausage and beef lasagna combines sweet Italian sausage, ground beef, and three types of cheese in a rich tomato sauce for a traditional Italian-inspired baked pasta. It's a crowd-pleasing layered dish that holds up well for feeding families and freezes for make-ahead convenience.

🌍Italian Inspired 🌍Italian 🏷️Publisher-tested

Total

3h 15m

Servings

12

Difficulty

Expert

Est. Cost

$35–$58

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Allrecipes

Ingredients

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

20 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Gather all your ingredients.
2
Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.
3
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 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
4
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.
5
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
6
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
7
To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
8
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.
9
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
10
Let the lasagna rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cutting; this helps it set and firm up.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Brown the sausage and ground beef thoroughly and drain excess fat before adding to the sauce to prevent a greasy lasagna.
Simmer the sauce uncovered for at least 15–20 minutes after combining all tomato products to let flavors meld and thicken.
Let the assembled lasagna rest 10–15 minutes after baking before cutting; this helps layers set so they don't slide apart.
Reserve a small amount of sauce to spread on the bottom of the baking dish before layering to prevent the bottom from sticking.

Substitutions

sweet Italian sausage → hot Italian sausage (adds spice) or ground pork (milder flavor)
white sugar → brown sugar (deeper molasses note) or omit if sauce tastes balanced
fresh parsley → dried oregano or Italian seasoning (use 1/3 the amount; stir into sauce rather than garnish)

Storage & make-ahead

Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through, about 25–30 minutes. Freeze unbaked up to 3 months.

Common Questions

Can I make this lasagna ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the lasagna, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 minutes to the bake time if baking from cold.

What cheeses should I use for three-cheese lasagna?

This recipe typically uses ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Ricotta forms the creamy layers, mozzarella melts throughout, and Parmesan adds sharp flavor on top.

How do I prevent a watery lasagna?

Drain excess fat from the cooked meat and sausage. Use canned tomato products without added liquid; avoid fresh tomatoes or excess sauce.

Can I freeze this lasagna?

Yes. Freeze unbaked lasagna wrapped tightly in plastic and foil up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 25–30 minutes to cooking time.

Should I brown the sausage and beef separately?

You can cook them together, but browning separately gives better texture control and lets you drain each meat's fat individually for a less greasy sauce.