Classic Lasagna

Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Cook the Meat Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot.

Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook until fully browned, about 7 minutes.

Drain off any excess fat from the pot using a spoon or by carefully tilting it.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it caramelize slightly.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes and stir to combine.

Add the oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.

Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Boil the Noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Add the lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions until just al dente, about 8 minutes.

Drain the noodles and lay them flat in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet to prevent sticking.

Make the Béchamel

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture turns pale golden and smells slightly nutty.

Slowly pour in the milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.

Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

Make the Ricotta Mixture

Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and chopped parsley in a medium bowl.

Stir until smooth and evenly mixed.

Assemble the Lasagna

Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Lay 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce in a single layer, overlapping slightly if needed.

Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles using the back of a spoon.

Spoon one-third of the remaining meat sauce over the ricotta layer.

Drizzle one-third of the béchamel sauce over the meat sauce.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top.

Repeat layers: 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, half the remaining meat sauce, half the remaining béchamel, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Add the final layer of 4 noodles.

Spread the remaining meat sauce over the top noodle layer.

Pour the remaining béchamel evenly over the top.

Scatter the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake covered at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Rest and Serve

Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.