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Our Family's Favorite Lasagna

It's easy, you can make it ahead and feeds a crowd
Print Recipe
Prep Time:45 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

  • 1 lb. ground beef or turkey or substitute cooked chicken, Italian sausage, seafood, or andouille
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (or instead of basil and oregano, you can use 2 tsp of Italian seasoning)
  • 26 –28 oz about 3 cups pasta sauce (jarred is fine)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp red wine optional

Cream Sauce

  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (light is fine)
  • 2 tbsp white wine optional

Cheese & Layers

  • 12 oz 3 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 6 –8 no-boil lasagna noodles I use 8—must be no-boil
  • 2 cups cooked well-drained vegetables (optional)
  • Broccoli spinach, peas, mushrooms; our family loves spinach
  • 1 cup about 4 oz shredded parmesan

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Make the Meat Sauce
  • In a large skillet, cook the meat, garlic, basil, and oregano until fully browned, stirring and breaking up the meat.
  • Stir in the pasta sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper; add red wine if using.
  • Set aside.
  • Make the Cream Sauce
  • In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until smooth (about 6 minutes). Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly (salt, pepper).
  • Add a splash of white wine if desired.
  • Assemble the Lasagna
  • Spoon half the meat sauce into the baking dish and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
  • Add 3–4 lasagna noodles.
  • If using vegetables, distribute them evenly over the noodles.
  • Pour all of the cream sauce over the vegetables/noodles.
  • Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
  • Add another layer of 3–4 noodles.
  • Spread the remaining meat sauce over the top.
  • Finish with the remaining mozzarella and all the parmesan.
  • Bake 35–45 minutes, until brown and bubbling. (Use the longer time if the lasagna was made ahead and chilled.)
  • Rest & Serve
  • Let cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Cost: 18