Description
Mom’s Lasagna is a classic Italian-American dish featuring layers of rich meat sauce, creamy cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan, all baked to perfection with oven-ready lasagna noodles. This hearty recipe is simmered slowly to develop deep flavors and is best enjoyed after resting for a tender, comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 3 medium onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (ground sirloin preferred)
- 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand (San Marzano preferred)
- 1 14½-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 6-oz can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed by hand
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed by hand
- About 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Lasagna Assembly
- 1 lb box oven-ready lasagna noodles (no boiling required)
- 1 16-oz container whole milk small curd cottage cheese, drained
- 1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese (quality preferred), for topping
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add chopped onions and a good pinch of salt. Sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Brown the beef: Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and nicely browned.
- Add herbs and combine: Stir in crushed dried basil and oregano to evenly distribute their flavors throughout the meat mixture.
- Prepare and add tomato components: Crush whole canned tomatoes by hand into a bowl, then add them to the pot. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for about 1½ hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cool and refrigerate sauce: Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. Refrigerate overnight to deepen the flavor, as this resting time is crucial for the best taste.
- Drain cottage cheese: Place cottage cheese in a fine mesh sieve over the sink and gently stir periodically to drain excess liquid. This process takes about 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Assemble the lasagna – First layer: Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of an 11 x 15-inch lasagna pan. Layer 6 oven-ready noodles overlapping slightly. Spoon half of the drained cottage cheese evenly over the noodles, then sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella. Generously ladle sauce over the cheese layer.
- Assemble the lasagna – Second layer: Repeat layering with another 6 noodles, the remaining cottage cheese, and the remaining mozzarella. Add another generous layer of sauce on top.
- Assemble the lasagna – Top layer: Place the final 6 noodles on top. Spoon sauce over the noodles, covering them completely, including the edges and corners to prevent drying. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese evenly over the surface.
- Bake covered: Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes to brown the cheese and finish cooking the noodles.
- Rest and serve: Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes after baking to help it set, then slice and enjoy your hearty, comforting meal.
Notes
- This is my mom’s classic Italian-American meat lasagna recipe featuring cottage cheese and mozzarella for creaminess.
- For best flavor, allow the meat sauce to cool and refrigerate overnight before assembling the lasagna.
- Draining the cottage cheese is crucial to avoid excess moisture in the lasagna.
- Oven-ready lasagna noodles save time as no boiling is required prior to assembly.
- Use good-quality grated parmesan for a more authentic and rich finish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 585 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 578 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
