The Best Lasagna Recipe with Homemade Pasta Noodles

Step 1

Brown the ground beef and sausage in a large dutch oven or pot on medium heat  Once the meat is browned, drain it, return it to the dutch oven, and add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sweat on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper as well as the quart of pasta sauce.  Stir well, cover, and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.  Ideally, simmer for a few hours or even all day to bring out depth and flavor in the sauce.

Step 3

An hour before you are ready to assemble the lasagna, make the homemade pasta.

Step 4

In a large bowl or on the counter add the flour and make a well with the back of a spoon or measuring cup.  Add the salt, eggs, and oil to the well.  Whisk it all into the flour with a fork and then turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.  Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until it is smooth.  It should be slightly sticky, but able to be handled.

Step 5

The dough should not be dry.  Let the dough rest - wrap the dough in plastic wrap or in a zip-loc bag and set it to the side to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 6

While the pasta dough is resting and the bolognese sauce is still simmering, make the ricotta cheese mixture.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, salt, egg, and parsley.  Set aside.

Step 7

Shred, grate, or slice the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses if you are not using pre-shredded.  Mix the shredded cheeses in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 8

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pasta out into thin sheets and cut enough for 3 layers of pasta to fit your 9x13" baking sheet.  If you have a KitcheAid stand mixer with a pasta attachment, use that.  I use this manual pasta maker that works wonderfully.

Step 9

Once the homemade pasta sheets are cut, dust them with flour on each side so they do not stick together, stack them up, and set them aside for assembly.  These fresh lasagne sheets do not need to be pre-boiled!  So no need for big pots of boiling water or shocking the noodles in cold water after.  The fresh pasta will go straight into the lasagna and be cooked perfectly al dente during the baking process.

Step 10

Assemble the lasagna in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  This recipe makes three layers of lasagna.

Step 11

First layer: Start by spooning a third of the bolognese sauce into the baking dish.  Add the first layer of noodles, then spread a third of the ricotta egg mixture over the lasagna noodles.  Top with a third of the shredded cheese mixture.  This completes one single layer of the lasagna.

Step 12

Second layer: On top of the shredded cheese, add a third of the bolognese sauce, another layer of lasagna noodles/sheets, another ricotta cheese layer, and another shredded cheese layer.

Step 13

Third layer: Same as the second layer.  Top the shredded cheese with chopped parsley this time, cover the lasagna with a piece of aluminum foil.

Step 14

Bake at 375F for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.  Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to cool and set for a half hour before serving.  It really is best to let it set before serving or the lasagna will spread all over the plates like soup rather than maintaining its shape.