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Beef Lasagna (Make-Ahead)

A thick, layered slice of rich Beef Lasagna with meat sauce and melted cheese on a white plate.
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A recipe for a make-ahead beef lasagna that you can prepare in advance and bake later.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 box lasagna noodles NOT no-boil
  • 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • minced fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add beef and onion, and cook until mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain if desired. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and fennel seeds. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, parsley, and salt. Chill until the sauce is finished.
  4. In the bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups meat sauce. Arrange a single layer of uncooked noodles over the meat sauce. Spread with a heaping 2/3 cup of the ricotta mixture. Top with about 1 ½ cups (5 ounces) of mozzarella. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese.
  5. Spoon 2 cups meat sauce over the cheese. Make another layer of noodles, ricotta mixture (heaping 2/3 cup), mozzarella (1 ½ cups) and Parmesan (⅓ cup). Repeat layers 1 more time, for a total of 3 layers.
  6. Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover baking dish. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
  7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley before serving if desired.

Notes

  • You can use ground beef, ground Italian sausage, or a mix of both for the meat sauce.
  • Adjust sugar in the meat sauce to your preference; you can omit it if you prefer less sweetness.
  • For homemade Italian Seasoning, combine 2 Tbsp. dried basil, 2 Tbsp. dried oregano, 2 Tbsp. dried rosemary, 2 Tbsp. dried thyme, and 2 Tbsp. dried marjoram.
  • Fennel seeds add flavor that complements Italian sausage. Omit them if you use only ground beef and prefer a sweeter sauce.
  • You can make your own ricotta cheese using milk, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt.
  • Use standard lasagna noodles, not ‘oven ready’ or ‘no-boil’ types, as they soften correctly during the make-ahead chilling time.
  • This recipe yields 12 servings in a 9” by 13” baking dish.
  • Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • You can make this recipe up to 3 days before baking and keep it refrigerated.
  • To freeze unbaked lasagna, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed. You can bake it directly from frozen by adding time to the baking process.
  • The recipe requires about 2 quarts of sauce; add a little extra water if your store-bought sauce is very thick.
  • You can use disposable aluminum pans for baking.
  • Add a layer of pesto during assembly for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: Beef Lasagna, Make Ahead, Baked Pasta, Italian Dinner, Family Favorite, ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella, make-ahead dinner

Find it online: https://www.meltitclean.com/beef-lasagna-make-ahead/