World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients

Directions

1. Here's a reformulated version of the "World's Best Lasagna" recipe instructions, designed to be clearer, more encouraging, and easier to follow:

2. Alright, let's get started! First things first, gather all your ingredients. Having everything prepped and ready to go will make the whole process smoother and more enjoyable. You've got this!

3. Now, for the heart of our lasagna: the meat sauce! In a large Dutch oven (or a large, heavy-bottomed pot), brown your sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat. Break up the meat as it cooks. Keep cooking until everything is nicely browned – this usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Browning is key for that rich flavor!

4. Time to build the sauce! Stir in your crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Now for the good stuff: add your sugar, 2 tablespoons of parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon of salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Give it a good stir to combine all those wonderful flavors. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover and let it gently bubble away for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor will be!

5. While the sauce is simmering away, let's get the noodles ready. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add your lasagna noodles and cook them according to the package directions, usually around 8 to 10 minutes. You want them al dente – slightly firm to the bite. Once they're done, drain them well and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent them from sticking together.

6. Next up, the creamy ricotta layer! In a mixing bowl, combine your ricotta cheese with the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix it all together until it's nicely combined. This mixture adds a lovely creamy texture to the lasagna.

7. Let's get that oven preheating! Set it to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). This will ensure the lasagna cooks evenly and the cheese gets nice and bubbly.

8. Now for the fun part: assembly! Spread 1 ½ cups of your delicious meat sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 lasagna noodles lengthwise over the sauce, overlapping them slightly to cover the bottom. Spread half of your ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Then, top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon another 1 ½ cups of meat sauce over the mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese.

9. Repeat those layers! Arrange another layer of noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, meat sauce, and Parmesan cheese just like before. For the final layer, top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. To prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil, either spray the foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil doesn't touch the cheese (you can tent it slightly).

10. Into the oven it goes! Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, with the foil on. Then, carefully remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning!

11. Almost there! Once the lasagna is out of the oven, let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set, making it easier to cut and serve, and prevents it from being too soupy. Enjoy your masterpiece! You did it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)