Homemade Lasagna Recipe – Easy!
Sometimes people think making lasagna is difficult or somehow complicated. While it does take a bit of time to get from ingredients to lasagna on the table, none of the preparation is tricky and I’m pretty sure just about anyone can do it.
This lasagna puts a focus on sauce and cheese, with just a few whole wheat noodles thrown in. There’s no need to precook the noodles because they will cook in the sauce during the baking process.
From start to finish, this dish can be ready to serve in just under 2 hours.
Serve it with garlic bread and your favorite green salad. This hearty dish is sure to please.
Ingredients Needed:
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion
• 1 sweet red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 28 oz can tomato sauce
• 28 oz can tomatoes
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole wheat or regular lasagna noodles
• 1 cup parmesan
• 1 pound mozzarella
Also, keep on hand large skillet, large cooking spoon, cutting board, sharp knife or food chopper, can opener, large pot, lasagna pan and foil.
Serves: Make approximately 8 servings
Brown the Ground Beef
Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Brown until cooked all the way through. Drain off fat.
Prepare and Cook the Vegetables
Cut the onion and pepper into small pieces, using a sharp knife or food chopper. If you like a chunkier lasagna, you can use larger pieces. Mince the garlic.
Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the ground beef and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
Cook the Sauce
Now you can get ready to prepare the sauce. Open the cans of tomato sauce and tomato paste and place in a large pot. Open the can of tomatoes, and run a knife back and forth inside the can several times to break the tomatoes into smaller piece. Add the tomatoes to the pot.
Transfer the meat mixture to the tomato mixture and start heating over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the oregano, basil and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the sauce comes to a light boil, turn the temperature to medium-low and allow it to simmer for about 45 minutes Continue to stir it occasionally.
Preheat Oven
When the sauce is nearly done cooking, preheat your oven to 350 F.
Layer the Lasagna
Once the sauce is cooked, you’re ready to start building your lasagna. Start by putting a layer of sauce on the bottom of your lasagna pan. Next, place 3 lasagna noodles across the sauce. Then top with 1/3 of the mozzarella and parmesan. Repeat two more times for your perfectly layered lasagna.
Bake
Make a foil tent over your lasagna, taking care that the foil doesn’t touch the lasagna or it will ruin your top cheese layer. Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove the foil after about 30 minutes, for a crispy cheesy top crust.
Let Stand and Serve
If you try to cut your lasagna right away, it will simply fall apart. Instead, be patient and let the lasagna stand for about 15 minutes before serving.
