Classic Beef Lasagna

Classic beef lasagna is a baked casserole of thin pasta sheets, seasoned ground beef, and creamy ricotta layered with tomato sauce and melted cheese. It tastes rich and comforting, with a slight tang from the tomato and a tender pasta that holds its shape when you cut it. The key is cooking the pasta just short of done and draining the meat sauce well, so the lasagna bakes firm instead of soupy.

Ingredients for Classic Beef Lasagna

Ground beef browns to build the base of the sauce. Onion and garlic add depth and sweetness. Canned tomatoes and tomato paste give the sauce body and acidity. Ricotta creates a creamy middle layer, while mozzarella and Parmesan melt into the gaps and brown on top. Egg binds the ricotta mixture. Lasagna noodles provide structure. Olive oil, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil season the whole dish.

Why This Classic Beef Lasagna Works

The meat sauce cooks down until it thickens and loses most of its liquid, so the lasagna does not become watery as it bakes. Browning the beef first draws out its fat and deepens its flavor, and cooking the onions until soft releases their sweetness into the sauce.

The ricotta layer stays creamy because it bakes gently between the noodles and sauce, never directly exposed to high heat. Layering three cheeses means you get richness from the ricotta, stretch and browning from the mozzarella, and a sharp, salty top from the Parmesan. Cooking the noodles just until they bend but still resist slightly means they finish cooking in the oven without turning to mush.

Mistakes To Avoid

Cooking the pasta all the way through means it turns soft and breaks apart when you assemble and bake the lasagna. The noodles keep cooking as the lasagna bakes, so slightly firm noodles finish at the right texture. Taste one before you drain them to make sure they still have a little resistance.

Using wet ricotta or a watery sauce floods the lasagna, and it ends up soupy in the middle and slides around on the plate. Brown the meat on high heat so it releases its liquid, then let the sauce simmer uncovered until it thickens. If your ricotta looks wet, stir it gently and let it sit in a fine-mesh strainer for a few minutes.

Skipping the rest after baking means the lasagna is still steaming hot and the layers have not set, so it crumbles when you cut it. The cheese and sauce need time to cool slightly and firm up, or the whole thing falls apart. Even ten minutes helps, but fifteen is better.

Covering the lasagna the whole time it bakes traps steam and softens the top, so you never get a golden, browned cheese layer. Cover it with foil for the first 25 minutes to keep the top from drying out, then uncover it for the last 35 to 40 minutes so the cheese browns and bubbles at the edges.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 box (9 ounces) lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces ricotta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 large egg

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat for 1 minute until shimmering.
2. Add ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until it browns and no longer looks raw.
3. Stir in diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
6. While the sauce cooks, fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 1 minute less than the package says, about 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. The noodles should bend but still feel firm when you bite one. Drain and lay them flat on parchment paper so they do not stick.
7. Pour the meat sauce into a fine-mesh strainer and let it drain for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking gently to remove excess liquid.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, Parmesan, and egg until combined.
9. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of drained meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan. Arrange 3 noodles in a single layer, overlapping slightly. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then spread 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the ricotta. Repeat twice more, ending with a final thin layer of sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top.
10. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes more until the cheese browns and bubbles at the edges and the center reaches 165°F (74°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
11. Remove from the oven and let rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.