The Worlds Best Lasagna

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Servings: 12 Difficulty: Beginner
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Hearty layers of rich slow-simmered meat sauce, creamy spinach and quark filling, and melted cheeses baked to perfection
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This lasagna is a labor of love that rewards with incredibly deep, savory flavors. The star is a robust meat sauce slow-simmered for hours with ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, and a complex blend of herbs like basil, sage, and oregano. It&# 226;€™s layered with a light, fresh filling of steamed spinach, eggs, and quark or cottage cheese, providing a creamy contrast to the rich tomato base. Perfect for Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, or any occasion where you want to impress with a classic, comforting dish that tastes even better the next day.

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The Worlds Best Lasagna

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: , , , , Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 12 Calories: 1513.7

Description

This lasagna is a labor of love that rewards with incredibly deep, savory flavors. The star is a robust meat sauce slow-simmered for hours with ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, and a complex blend of herbs like basil, sage, and oregano. It is layered with a light, fresh filling of steamed spinach, eggs, and quark or cottage cheese, providing a creamy contrast to the rich tomato base. Perfect for Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, or any occasion where you want to impress with a classic, comforting dish that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Brown the lean ground beef and Italian sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Mash the meat well to break it into small crumbles for a fine, smooth texture.
  3. Pour off all excess fat from the skillet.
  4. Transfer the browned meat to a large kettle or Dutch oven.
  5. Add oil to the now-empty skillet and sauté onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper until limp but not browned.
  6. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the kettle with the meat.
  7. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, red wine, and all herbs and spices (basil, sage, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, coriander, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, anise seeds, celery seeds) to the kettle.
  8. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
  9. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary.
  10. Continue simmering the sauce on low heat for at least 3 hours, or longer for deeper flavor.
  11. Thoroughly wash the spinach and steam it in a double boiler or steamer basket until just cooked but still bright green.
  12. Drain the spinach well to remove excess water, then chop finely.
  13. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped spinach with quark (or drained low-fat cottage cheese) and beaten eggs.
  14. Season the spinach mixture with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
  15. Grate the Swiss cheese (or Gruyère/Emmental) and slice the mozzarella cheese; set aside.
  16. Cook lasagna noodles in rapidly boiling salted water until just tender.
  17. Rinse the cooked noodles under running water to stop cooking and prevent sticking, then set aside.
  18. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  19. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 10x14 inch lasagna pan.
  20. Lay down a layer of noodles in one direction.
  21. Spread a layer of the spinach and cheese filling over the noodles.
  22. Lay down another layer of noodles in the opposite direction (crosswise).
  23. Sprinkle a layer of grated Swiss cheese over the noodles.
  24. Add another layer of noodles.
  25. Spoon a generous layer of meat sauce over the noodles.
  26. Repeat the layering process (noodles, filling/cheese, sauce) until the pan is full, ending with a layer of sauce.
  27. Top the entire lasagna with sliced mozzarella cheese.
  28. Bake uncovered at 350°F (177°C) until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the lasagna is heated through, approximately 30-45 minutes.
  29. Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow layers to set.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1513.7kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 51.8g80%
Saturated Fat 17.1g86%
Cholesterol 225.9mg76%
Sodium 5297.6mg221%
Total Carbohydrate 136.9g46%
Dietary Fiber 36.6g147%
Sugars 81.8g
Protein 124.4g249%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

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Keywords: lasagna, ground beef, italian sausage, spinach, quark, cottage cheese, tomato sauce, slow simmer, layered pasta, comfort food, herbs, mozzarella, swiss cheese, family dinner, make ahead, baked pasta, rich meat sauce, vegetables, garlic
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