How to Make The Ultimate Meat Lovers' Lasagna

This meat lovers' lasagna is comfort food to the max. Imagine layers of Italian sausage, ground beef, marinara sauce, tender noodles, and cheese all baked up to bubbly perfection. Sounds time consuming, right? While this is a more involved recipe than most, it is so worth it! And, I've updated classic lasagna with a few modern twists to speed up the process and make this as stress-free as possible.

I know that on hectic days, I crave comfort food, and this recipe is just that--it's like a warm hug in every bite. Whether you're juggling a career, family, or just in need of a little inspiration, this pasta dish is designed to make your life easier without skimping on flavor. What's my secret? I use convenience items like jarred marinara and no-boil noodles and no one is the wiser.

this recipe

If you're a meal prepper, then this is a great recipe for you! This lasagna provides a hefty amount of servings on purpose. I mean, if you're going to make lasagna, let's make lasagna!

I cut leftovers into individual portions, wrap them in aluminum foil, and then pop them in the freezer. That way I have a meal already created on nights when it's particularly hectic. It's one of my favorite mom hacks.

Interested in some other "mom hack" recipes to make busy weeknights a little easier? Recipes that use rotisserie chicken are a go-to for me, so my Chicken Cobbler with Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuit Topping and Harvest Grain Bowl are great dishes to try that utilize that convenience item.

I also like to amp up Trader Joe's products, like I do for my Vegetable Hash and Sausage Stew and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter Sauce recipes. Finally, another great sped-up pasta recipe is these stuffed shells. They're perfect for busy weeknights too!

Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s gather the ingredients we need for this recipe.

• jarred marinara sauce (or use your favorite tomato sauce)
• Parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese
• Italian sausage
• lean ground beef (I like ground chuck)
• large eggs
• no-boil lasagna noodles
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• ground nutmeg
• ricotta cheese
• fresh parsley
• fresh basil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get cooking!

First, brown the sausage and ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain the meat. Set aside 2 cups of the marinara sauce. Add the remaining sauce to the ground beef and sausage mixture and stir in the Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Next, mix the ricotta, eggs, fresh herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

Then, preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of sauce (1 cup of the reserved sauce) in the bottom of a large casserole dish that's been coated with non-stick spray. Cover the sauce with a layer of noodles, breaking the noodles as needed.

Finally, top the noodles with a heaping cup of the meat sauce. Dollop a little less than 1 cup of the ricotta filling over the meat mixture and spread gently to cover. Sprinkle with about ¾ cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until you use up all the meat mixture and ricotta cheese. Top with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the noodles and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Hint: Coat the underside of the aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray so that the cheese won't stick as the lasagna bakes.

Substitutions

Here are some suggestions for ingredient swaps:

• Ground beef - instead of ground beef, use ground turkey. I recommend using ground turkey that's dark and white meat. Ground turkey breast tends to be on the drier side.
• Ricotta cheese - I love to use creamy ricotta cheese, but feel free to substitute cottage cheese if you'd like. I recommend a whole milk cottage cheese to provide a similar texture.
• Fresh herbs - you can use dried parsley and dried basil instead of fresh if you prefer. Remember that a little goes a long way--just about a teaspoon of each will be enough.
• Cheese - I like the classic combo of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, but you can use any combination of your favorite types of cheese.
• Lasagna noodles - I love the convenience of no-boil noodles, but you can use traditional uncooked lasagna noodles instead. You will have to pre-boil them until they're al dente, though.

Variations

Need some more ideas for how to change up this recipe? I've got you covered:

• Spicy - add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce to give this lasagna a little kick.
• Cheeseburger Lasagna - use all ground beef and shredded Cheddar cheese in place of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:

• measuring spoons
• dry measuring cups
• cheese grater
• mixing bowl set
• large skillet
• lasagna baking dish (deep 13- x 9-inch casserole dish)
• spatula

Storage

If you have any leftovers, let the lasagna come to room temperature. Then, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and place right in the fridge. Or, transfer squares of lasagna into airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

This is the perfect make-ahead meal. Let the lasagna cool and then cut it into serving-size squares. Wrap each square tightly with aluminum foil and place in a zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the lasagna in the refrigerator. Pour a little extra sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and reheat, covered, at 350°F for about 30 minutes. If you're in a hurry, you can also zap thawed lasagna in the microwave.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Cook the lasagna to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat.
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.