World’s Greatest Lasagna - Layers of rich, flavorful meat sauce, lasagna, and an abundance of cheese meld together into what many would argue may be the world's greatest lasagna.
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Lasagna is the perfect comfort food, and for good reason! The simplicity and delicious combination of hearty meat sauce, cheesy decadence, and baked lasagna sheets is something that just can’t be beat.
Not only is this the perfect dish for all year round, but especially during the holiday season. The last place you want to be during Christmas is cooking in the kitchen all day long. Wouldn't you rather spend that time with your loved ones?!
Prep this lasagna the day before and have an amazing meal that will feed a crowd. You can count on this lasagna being gone in seconds, with the entire family asking for more. Once you get a taste, it will be obvious why this is hands down the World’s Greatest Lasagna recipe!
HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S GREATEST LASAGNA
Before you get started, make sure you have the following ingredients:
- Pork sausage
- Ground beef
- Medium onion, diced
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Canned tomato paste
- Water
- Sugar
- Minced fresh parsley
- Dried basil
- Fennel seed
- Salt, divided
- Coarsely ground pepper
- Garlic salt
- Large egg, lightly beaten
- Oven-ready lasagna noodles
- Provolone cheese
- Large curd cottage cheese
- Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, preheat the oven to 375°F, grab a skillet and cook the sausage, beef and onion over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Be sure to break meat into small pieces as you cook.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, then, drain off any excess grease. Once the meat is drained and ready, follow the steps below.
PREPARING THE LASAGNA LAYERS
- Stir the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, and ½ teaspoon salt and pepper into the meat mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the cottage cheese and remaining ¼ cup parsley and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add the lightly beaten egg and mix again.
- Spread 2 cups of meat sauce into an un-greased lasagna baking dish.
LAYERING THE LASAGNA
On top of the meat sauce, you'll want to layer the following:
- Top the meat mixture with 3 lasagna noodles.
- Place 6 slices of provolone cheese on top of the noodles.
- Spoon a third of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the provolone cheese.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
Repeat the layers twice, topping with remaining meat sauce and cheeses. The dish will be FULL! Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Then, remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until bubbly. Allow the lasagna to stand 15 minutes before serving.
TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT LASAGNA
- Depending on how you prefer your lasagna, the type of mozzarella you use can be a big factor in the taste and texture. If you don’t want your lasagna to be too moist, it is best to use shredded mozzarella, rather than fresh slices of mozzarella. If you do choose to use the slices, place them between paper towels to soak up as much moisture as possible.
- When layering, try to make sure that there is a good balance between the ingredients, not having one side with much more cheese or sauce than the other side.
- Want to add more ingredients? Lasagna is easy to customize, whether it’s with vegetables like mushrooms or spinach, or different types of meat, there are so many great options to spice up this classic dish even more!
DO I HAVE TO USE OVEN-READY LASAGNA NOODLES?
I use oven-ready lasagna because it's more convenient, and in my opinion, still tastes delicious. I know some people choose to make their own lasagna noodles or use regular lasagna sheets. When it comes to using fresh lasagna pasta sheets or boxed sheets, many people prefer to use the fresh sheets.
If you want to use the regular lasagna noodles, just let them sit in a pan of hot water with a bit of olive oil for 10-15 minutes to soften them up before using them in the dish.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE SOME INGREDIENTS IN THIS RECIPE?
You can substitute ingredients in most recipes. Just remember that when doing that you alter the intended original recipe.
The good news is, lasagna is extremely versatile. You could substitute ricotta cheese for cottage cheese or rather than using both beef and pork sausage, just use one of the meat options.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STORE LASAGNA?
Simply store the lasagna in the refrigerator in a covered airtight container for up to five days!
CAN YOU FREEZE LASAGNA?
Absolutely! Unbaked lasagna can be frozen for around two months. Wrap the pan of lasagna tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Believe it or not, frozen lasagna doesn't need to be defrosted before you bake it. Remove the plastic wrap and foil.
Cover the lasagna with a new piece of foil and place it in the oven for an hour at 300°F, and then at 375°F for the last 30 minutes. You'll probably want to remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking so the cheese can properly brown.
The lasagna is ready when the temperature reaches 165°F.
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World's Greatest Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 15 ounces crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cans (6 ounces each tomato paste)
- ⅔ cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons plus ¼ cup minced fresh parsley (divided)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seed
- ¾ teaspoon salt (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 24 ounces large curd cottage cheese
- 4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Be sure to break meat into small pieces as you cook.
- Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Drain off any access grease.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese and remaining ¼ cup parsley and ¼ teaspoon salt. Next, add lightly beaten egg and mix again.
- Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased lasagna baking dish.
- Layer with 3 noodles, 6 slices of provolone cheese, and a third of the cottage cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full).
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until bubbly.
- Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Try adding in some veggies! Vegetables like spinach and mushrooms are great to add into lasagna.
- When layering, be sure that there is a good balance between ingredients.
- To store, place in the fridge covered or in an airtight container for up to five days.
VeryGratefulBilletMom
It IS the greatest lasagna ever…LOVE the sauce in this recipe. Excellent as is but I did also make it with 5 cheeses per my daughters request (ricotta instead of cottage cheese and added 1/2 c each fontina and Asiago in addition to the provolone and mozzarella already in this recipe)…my go-to recipe for lasagna from now on! Going in the family cookbook!
Sara
Love to hear this! I love your addition of even more cheese!