Classic Beef and Ricotta Lasagna
Layer a rich, slow-simmered beef ragù with a creamy ricotta mixture and flat pasta sheets, finishing with a golden crust of mozzarella and parmesan. The secret lies in not overcooking the noodles before they hit the oven, allowing them to absorb the moisture from the sauce as they bake.
Patience is your primary ingredient.
This dish improves significantly if allowed to rest for twenty minutes after coming out of the oven; it makes for clean slices rather than a collapsed heap on the plate.
- 9x13 inch deep baking dish
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Mixing bowl
- Aluminum foil
What goes in.
- 1.5 lbground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 28 ozcrushed tomatoes
- 15 ozwhole milk ricotta
- 1large egg
- 1 lblasagna sheets (no-boil or pre-boiled)
- 1 lbmozzarella, shredded
- 1 cupparmesan, freshly grated
- 1 tspdried oregano
Egg-to-Ricotta Emulsion
Whisking a single egg into your ricotta keeps the cheese layer from weeping excess liquid into the sauce, creating a firm, structured foundation for each slice.
The method.
Brown the meat
Cook beef in the pot over medium-high heat until deep brown crusts form at the bottom. Add onions and cook until they soften and turn translucent.
Simmer the ragù
Add garlic and oregano for one minute, then stir in crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
Prepare the ricotta
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the egg and half the parmesan until smooth.
Build the layers
Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place pasta sheets down, top with a layer of ricotta mixture, more sauce, and a handful of mozzarella. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a final layer of sauce and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake
Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and showing golden brown patches.
Other turns to take.
Spinach-Ricotta
Squeeze the liquid out of 10oz of thawed, frozen spinach and fold it into the ricotta mixture.
Béchamel Version
Replace the ricotta mixture with a simple flour, butter, and milk white sauce for a silkier texture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If using traditional noodles, boil them until just barely al dente, as they finish cooking in the sauce.
Avoid pre-shredded cheese; the potato starch coating prevents it from melting into a cohesive layer.
Tilt the baking dish slightly when slicing to ensure you aren't leaving sauce behind in the corners.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I assemble this ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the entire dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if it is cold from the fridge.
How real cooks make it.
One topic, many tables. Home cooks around the world share their own version — next to ours.
Lasagna the Naples Way
“Béchamel, never ricotta — a slow ragù and pasta thin enough to read through.”
Naples, Italy
Sunday-Gravy Lasagna
“Sausage, meatball, ricotta — the 9×13 that feeds the whole block.”
Queens, NY
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