World’s Best Lasagna Recipe (Made Easy with Sweet Italian sausage)

Listen y’all, I’m a big fan of pasta, cheese, and meat sauce! So it’s no surprise lasagna is one of my favorite dishes. I’m excited to share this recipe with y’all because I think my lasagna is unique.

I use a few ingredients most people don’t use, and I leave out one most people include. That’s what makes this recipe different, lol!

Whether you’ve been making lasagna for years or if this is your first time, this recipe will have you hooked!

This Lasagna recipe has been modified since 2014

I posted a lasagna tutorial on YouTube back in 2014. I’ve modified the recipe since then, but it can still be helpful for visual learners. So if you’re more of a visual learner, check out the video below.

Watch Me Make It

My mom made lasagna a lot when I was a kid. This recipe is a slightly fancier version of the way she used to make it. She would use ground turkey because she’s health-conscious and doesn’t really eat red meat.

I love red meat, so I use a mix of ground beef and sweet Italian sausage. Sweet Italian sausage makes the flavor pop and sets this lasagna apart.

Pam Miles-Hubbard’s Lasagna

My mom’s longtime friend, Pam Miles Hubbard, taught her how to make lasagna. She’s like a play auntie to me, and they’ve been close since before I was born.

My mom loved her lasagna so much that she would always ask her to make some for her. My mom didn’t cook much back then, but she really learned her way around the kitchen after having me and my sister.

I remember seeing my mom in the kitchen talking to Nana Alice while making dinner every night. She would be on the phone giving my mom instructions on how to perfect certain dishes.

My mom went on to master a couple dozen dishes and became a confident, experienced cook. That’s when she finally started making lasagna, and it was amazing once she got it right.

Childhood memories of lasagna

What I remember most about my mother’s lasagna was the ricotta cheese. As a kid, I’d always ask her, “What’s that white stuff?” I didn’t care for ricotta back then, and don’t really now, but it’s starting to grow on me.

I also remember those long aluminum pans she used and the ridges on the lasagna noodles. The one thing that I found absolutely fascinating was the layering process.

Watching her stack the pasta, cheese, and sauce was like watching a movie to me. I guess only a future cook who loves the process of cooking would find such a thing entertaining. Lol!

My mom always did her thing with this dish; I’ll never forget how good it was! Her sisters, Pam and Deloris, would always ask her to bring some to family functions.

My aunt Deloris always asks my mom to make her a pan for her birthday every year. But I’m always the one who ends up making it for her because my mother never feels like it. Lol!

You can thank my mom for this recipe! She kept insisting that I write down the exact measurements I used with step-by-step instructions. Without a formal recipe, it’s impossible to duplicate a dish.

She wanted to make it my way but on her own, but she couldn’t without a recipe. I’ve always just cooked by eye and feel without measuring anything. I’m glad there’s an actual recipe for it now so it comes out tasting the same every time.

Anywhooooo….. Enough ranting! Let’s get into the ingredients and how to make this dish!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for my Lasagna recipe. To simplify the preparation, I’m not just listing the ingredients; I’m breaking them into categories so you’ll know what you need for each step.

For the Pasta

• Lasagna: We’ll be using 12 for this recipe, but I always recommend boiling 15. Sometimes they break or stick, so you’ll have extra just in case.
• Water: You’ll need plenty of cool water to boil the noodles, since we’re making a lot
• Salt: Salt is just for flavor. I use it to infuse the pasta with flavor.

For the meat

• Ground beef: Make sure you get 80/20 ground beef. That fat-to-meat ratio is key to achieving the perfect flavor and keeping the lasagna moist.
• Sweet Italian sausage: This isn’t traditional, but it takes the lasagna to another level. I use a 50/50 beef-to-sausage ratio; it gives the lasagna depth and balance. It’s such a difference-maker that I won’t even make lasagna without it.
• Yellow Onions: Standard yellow onions work best for this recipe.
• Mushrooms: I like baby bella mushrooms. Don’t use canned mushrooms; let’s keep it fresh! If you want to go light on the mushrooms, use Prego’s mushroom sauce instead.
• Seasoning salt and Adobo: These are my go-to seasonings for meat, especially ground meat. You can just use regular salt if you prefer, but these add an extra layer of flavor.
• Garlic powder, Onion powder, Italian seasoning, and Black pepper: These four are absolutely necessary the gold standard for seasoning ground beef.

For the sauce

• Prego sauce: Prego is my favorite tomato sauce brand. We’ll be using traditional tomato sauce for this recipe.
• Diced tomatoes: These add a nice chunkiness to the sauce. If you don’t like chunks of tomatoes, feel free to omit them.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste is a must! It thickens the sauce, which is essential to avoid a runny, soupy lasagna. It also gives the sauce that rich, dark, traditional color.
• Sugar: I don’t add this to make the dish sweet; I add it to neutralize the tomatoes’ acidity. I don’t like bitter sauce, and a little sugar balances it out perfectly.

Sour Cream & Ricotta Mixture

I like to season every single layer of my lasagna, so it’s never bland. I season the meat, the sauce, and the cheese mixture, too!

• Spinach: I use fresh spinach! My mom, aka “Ms. Healthy Lady,” suggested adding it, and it turned out to be a great move. Just chop it up; no need to cook it beforehand, as it’ll cook perfectly as the lasagna bakes.
• Ricotta & Sour cream: This takes the recipe to another level. I actually replaced half the ricotta I used in my original recipe with sour cream. I now use a 3:1 sour cream-to-ricotta ratio for the best flavor and consistency.
• Mozzarella cheese: I stir a little mozzarella into this mixture to make sure every bite is extra cheesy.
• Seasonings: We want flavor in every layer, so add a dash of seasoning salt and adobo to this mixture as well.

Cheeses for layering the very top

I use an extra cup of Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese so that the Lasagna is nice and cheesy, the way a traditional Lasagna looks.

• Mozzarella cheese: Lasagna isn’t Lasagna without Mozzarella cheese; it gives Lasagna its classic flavor. Mozzarella also gives the Lasagna that stretch traditional lasagna is supposed to have.
• Cheddar cheese: Yellow cheddar cheese is famous for its sharp, intense flavor. It also gives the lasagna its traditional mix of red, white, and orange colors.

Common questions about the Lasagna

• What brand of lasagna do you use? I recommend a good name brand like Barilla, De Cecco, or San Giorgio. Using high-quality pasta really makes a difference.
• Should you boil the lasagna with oil? I used to, but I no longer do! Like most people, I used to think it stopped pasta from sticking. What it does is make the Lasagna slippery, preventing the meat sauce from sticking.
• Why do you add salt to the pasta water? I always add a good amount of salt because it infuses the pasta with flavor. You want every layer to have taste; otherwise, the whole dish can end up bland.
• When is the lasagna done enough? You want to cook the noodles until they are al dente—meaning they’re tender but still firm. Don’t overcook them; you don’t want soggy, bloated, or limp noodles!
• Should you rinse the lasagna with cool water? I usually rinse pasta to stop it from overcooking, but that’s only when I’m using it in salads. For lasagna, you want to keep the noodles’ starch. This gives the sauce and cheese something to grab onto.

How I layer Lasagna

People are always asking me how to layer Lasagna. So let me explain how I like to layer it. It’s crucial not to layer the same ingredients too closely. Layering lasagna the right way is essential for a balanced taste.

1. Lightly coat the pan with meat sauce.
2. Cover the meat sauce with 4 Lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping.
3. Fully coat the Lasagna with the sour cream-ricotta mixture.
4. Add some of the cheddar and Mozzarella cheese.
5. Repeat these steps; add your meat sauce.
6. Followed by the 4 Lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping.
7. Fully coat the Lasagna again with the sour cream-ricotta mixture.
8. Then top that with some cheddar and Mozzarella cheese.
9. Layering the very top: Cover the cheddar and Mozzarella with more meat sauce.
10. Add the last 4 Lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping.
11. Followed by the remaining meat sauce.
12. Add the remaining cheddar and Mozzarella cheese plus the 2 cups of cheddar and Mozzarella.
13. Then garnish the top with Parsley.

How to make Homemade Lasagna

1. Place a large pot of water over high heat.
2. Add the salt and lasagna, and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
3. Drain the hot water and set aside.
   (Make sure the lasagna doesn’t overlap because it will stick and be hard to pull apart.)
4. Chop up the spinach and add it to a medium mixing bowl.
5. Add the sour cream, ricotta, and mozzarella.
6. Add the seasonings, stir well, and set aside.
7. Combine 5 cups of Mozzarella and 4 cups of Cheddar in a big bowl for the Lasagna.
8. Combine 1 cup of Mozzarella and 1 cup of Cheddar in a small bowl for the top of the Lasagna.
9. Chop up the onions and mushrooms.
10. Place a skillet over medium heat.
11. Add the ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
12. Chop the meat up as finely as possible with two spatulas.
13. Drain most of the fat.
14. Add the onions, mushrooms, and seasonings, and stir well.
15. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
16. Add in the sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar, then stir well.
17. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
18. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
19. Layer the ingredients in a large lasagna pan in this order: A little meat sauce, lasagna, sour cream mixture, Mozzarella and Cheddar, meat sauce, lasagna, sour cream mixture, Mozzarella and Cheddar, meat sauce, lasagna, meat sauce, and then the 2 cups of Mozzarella and Cheddar for the top.
20. Garnish the lasagna with parsley flakes, and cover with aluminum foil.
    (Make sure the aluminum foil isn’t touching the cheese.)
21. Bake the Lasagna covered for 30 minutes.
22. Bake 15 minutes uncovered, then remove.

Tips for best results:

• Don’t stack the noodles: After draining them, lay them out carefully so they aren’t touching. If they stick together, it’s impossible to pull them apart without them breaking.
• Reserve some of that fat: When you drain the fat, leave a little in the skillet. A hint of fat adds flavor and gives your sauce a nice, silky consistency.
• Cover every inch: Tuck your noodles into the pan so they aren’t hanging over the edge. Cover them with plenty of sauce and cheese so they don’t burn or become hard while baking.
• Tent the foil: Do not let the foil touch the cheese. Create a tent so it doesn’t stick and ruin that beautiful cheesy top.
• Let it rest: Once the lasagna is done, let it rest! This not only gives the juices time to settle but also gives the lasagna time to stiffen, making it easy to slice. I honestly prefer eating it the next day; it just tastes better after it sits overnight.

Serving suggestions:

• Garlic bread: This is the most popular side for lasagna. Warm toasted garlic bread, especially cheesy garlic bread, pairs perfectly with lasagna. You can’t go wrong with the “Texas toast” brand of garlic bread.
• Tossed salad: A fresh tossed salad is a perfect side dish to serve with lasagna. It is refreshing and tastes amazing with a good Italian dressing.
• Fried chicken: It might sound odd, but I have seen people serve lasagna with a side of crispy fried chicken or pork chops. It’s more of a Southern thing, but trust me, it works.

Storage and reheating

• How to store Lasagna: Slice the lasagna into several square pieces. You can place it in a tupperware dish and cover it with a lid, wrap it with aluminum foil, or place it in a Ziploc bag, then refrigerate.
• How to freeze it: If I want to store it for days or weeks, I place it in a Ziploc bag. Make sure it’s sealed tightly to prevent freezer burn, then set it in the freezer.
• How to reheat lasagna in the oven: Place it in a baking dish or on a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until hot throughout.
• How to reheat lasagna in the microwave: Place it in a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for 3 minutes. Sometimes it can take 4 to 5 minutes for the center to get hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many layers should I make? There is no set rule, but this recipe is designed for two layers. Don’t stack it too high, or it will likely fall apart when served.
• How do I make this for a large gathering? MAKE MULTIPLE PANS!! If you’re serving a crowd, prepare everything in larger batches using multiple pots for the pasta and sauce, then assemble individual pans.
• Why does my lasagna fall apart when I cut it? It’s soupy and falling apart because it’s too hot! I usually make mine the day before, which gives it time to set. It tastes better the next day, and it stiffens significantly, making it easier to slice.
• How long does lasagna last? I try to finish it within four days, but it can last up to a week in the fridge. In the freezer, it stays good for up to 3 months if properly sealed.

Other recipes with ground beef and sweet Italian sausage

• The BEST Stuffed Peppers Recipe Ever
• Easy Dirty Rice Recipe
• Easy Spaghetti And Meat Sauce Recipe
• Grandma Val’s Easy Classic Meatloaf Recipe

Equipment:

Here are the utensils you’ll need to make this delicious lasagna recipe. They’re all available for purchase; The links below will direct you to my Amazon store.

• Large Skillet: A large non-stick skillet is needed to brown the meat and sauté the veggies.
• Knife: Use a large knife to chop up the vegetables.
• Large Pot: Make sure you have a large pot. You’re going to need one to boil the lasagna in.
• Colander: A colander, aka a strainer, is needed to strain the lasagna after boiling it.
• 2 Spatulas: You will need a spatula to break and chop up the ground beef.
• Big Spoon: Have a big spoon on deck to scoop and stir the sauce. 
• Measuring Cups: Measuring cups will help you to accurately measure things like onions, cheese, and mushrooms.
• Measuring Spoons: Measuring spoons will help you to accurately measure the seasonings.
• Casserole Dish: You obviously need a casserole dish to bake the lasagna and serve it from.

Okay, folks, enough ranting! Give this recipe a shot. Leave a comment below if you enjoy it, and make sure to subscribe to receive notifications whenever I post a new recipe.

Enjoy later!

PBJ~

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