Classic Italian Sausage Lasagna Recipes

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and olive oil; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Cook the ground beef and sausage in a large pot over medium heat; drain. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic salt, oregano, thyme, basil, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
• Ladle enough of the meat sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Form a layer atop the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese mixture and then ladle about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice more, topping with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven 90 minutes. Allow to sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Crumble sausage into a small skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Combine the egg, ricotta and parsley., Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8x4-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Trim noodles to fit dish. Layer a third of the noodle pieces over sauce; top with a third of the remaining sauce, a third of the ricotta mixture and 3 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice., Cover; bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

EASY ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a skillet, crumble and cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove from heat and stir in pasta sauce and tomato sauce. In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning. Preheat oven to 375F. Spread 1 cup sauce into bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 cup sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Add last 3 noodles. Top lasagna with remaining sauce and with remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan over mozzarella. Cover and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until noodles are tender. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes to melt cheese.

CLASSIC ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Fry garlic and onion in hot oil until soft.
• Add meat and cook until crumbly.
• Drain oil.
• Mix in salt, pepper, spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water.
• Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
• In a shallow 9x13 inch pyrex dish, put a thin layer of sauce.
• Layer in half the noodles, sauce and top with half the cheese.
• Repeat layers ending with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• Cut into squares.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

JOHNSONVILLE® ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic until pork is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain. Add marinara sauce and oregano; simmer for 5 minutes. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan and spinach.
• In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish, spread 1 cup meat sauce. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce. Spread one-fourth of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, top with 1 cup of meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat process 3 times. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, sugar, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered about 45 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and the oregano.
• Spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Top with 4 noodles. Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over noodles; spread with 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 4 noodles, the remaining cheese mixture, 1 cup of the sauce mixture and 2/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake about 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with onion over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook and stir 1 minute. , Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes., In a bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese, 1-1/4 cups Parmesan cheese and the remaining pepper. Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 4 noodles, 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese mixture, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1-1/2 cups sauce. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses., Cover with greased foil; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until lightly browned and heated through, 5-10 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA (COOKING FOR 2)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix mozzarella and ricotta cheeses; set aside.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, onion and pepper flakes in butter 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is cooked through and onion softens; drain. Return to skillet; stir in sauce.
• Spread rounded 1/2 cup sauce mixture in bottom of loaf pan. Top with 1 lasagna noodle. Top with rounded 1/2 cup ricotta mixture. Pour rounded 1/2 cup sauce mixture over ricotta mixture. Top with 1 lasagna noodle. Top with rounded 1/2 cup ricotta mixture, followed by rounded 1/2 cup sauce mixture. Top with 1 lasagna noodle, followed by remaining ricotta mixture. Top with 1 lasagna noodle, then with remaining sauce mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Remove cover; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until pasta is tender and mixture is bubbling at edges. Let stand 10 minutes. Top with basil.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
• Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
• Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
• Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
• Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.

SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA CLASSICO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix ricotta, basil and black pepper in medium bowl. Reserve 1 cup shredded cheese. Add remaining shredded cheese to ricotta mixture; mix well.
• Brown sausage with onions and bell peppers in large skillet. Drain; return to skillet. Stir in pasta sauce. Add 1/2 cup water to empty sauce jar; cover with lid and shake well. Stir water into meat sauce. Spread 1/3 of meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and half the ricotta mixture. Top with layers of 3 noodles, half the remaining meat sauce and 3 noodles. Cover with layers of remaining ricotta mixture, noodles, meat sauce and reserved shredded cheese. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 1 hour or until heated through, removing foil after 45 min. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.