Cheesy Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Cheesy Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, as needed for sautéing
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 32 ounces Rao's Homemade Marinara
- 24 ounces Rao's Homemade Four Cheese Marinara
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Ricotta Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For Assembly
- 12 lasagna noodles, oven-ready or pre-boiled according to package directions
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, for garnish
For Serving (Optional)
- 4 Texas Roadhouse rolls, with glaze, prepared according to package directions
- 2 cups lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Add the ground beef to the pot. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spatula, until no pink remains. Drain any excess grease using paper towels or by carefully tilting the pot and spooning it out.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Season the browned ground beef with 1 tablespoon of Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Pour in the 32 ounces of Rao's Homemade Marinara and the 24 ounces of Rao's Homemade Four Cheese Marinara. Stir to combine with the meat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Season the meat sauce again with 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir everything together and let the meat sauce simmer gently while you prepare the ricotta mixture.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
In a medium bowl, combine the 15 ounces of ricotta cheese and 2 eggs. Mix well.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Season the ricotta mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Spread a thin layer of the prepared meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the meat sauce. (If using traditional noodles, ensure they are pre-boiled according to package directions).
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Spread approximately one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the lasagna noodles.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Sprinkle approximately 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the ricotta layer.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Repeat the layering process three more times: meat sauce, lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese. For the final layer, spread a generous amount of meat sauce over the last layer of noodles, then top with the remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Sprinkle the top cheese layer with 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for garnish.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 16
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 350
- 17
After 45 minutes, carefully remove the foil. Broil the lasagna for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese topping is golden and bubbly. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
⏱️ 2 min
- 18
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it sit for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents it from falling apart.
⏱️ 20 min
- 19
Serve the lasagna with Texas Roadhouse rolls (prepared with their provided glaze) and a side salad made with chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and ranch dressing, if desired.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Cheesy Lasagna with Meat Sauce
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, as needed for sautéing
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 32 ounces Rao's Homemade Marinara
- 24 ounces Rao's Homemade Four Cheese Marinara
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Ricotta Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For Assembly
- 12 lasagna noodles, oven-ready or pre-boiled according to package directions
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, for garnish
For Serving (Optional)
- 4 Texas Roadhouse rolls, with glaze, prepared according to package directions
- 2 cups lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Add the ground beef to the pot. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spatula, until no pink remains. Drain any excess grease using paper towels or by carefully tilting the pot and spooning it out.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Season the browned ground beef with 1 tablespoon of Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash Original seasoning blend, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Pour in the 32 ounces of Rao's Homemade Marinara and the 24 ounces of Rao's Homemade Four Cheese Marinara. Stir to combine with the meat.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Season the meat sauce again with 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir everything together and let the meat sauce simmer gently while you prepare the ricotta mixture.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
In a medium bowl, combine the 15 ounces of ricotta cheese and 2 eggs. Mix well.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Season the ricotta mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of Kinder's Buttery Garlic & Herb seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Spread a thin layer of the prepared meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the meat sauce. (If using traditional noodles, ensure they are pre-boiled according to package directions).
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Spread approximately one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the lasagna noodles.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Sprinkle approximately 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the ricotta layer.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Repeat the layering process three more times: meat sauce, lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese. For the final layer, spread a generous amount of meat sauce over the last layer of noodles, then top with the remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Sprinkle the top cheese layer with 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for garnish.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 1 min - 16
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 350 - 17
After 45 minutes, carefully remove the foil. Broil the lasagna for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese topping is golden and bubbly. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
⏱️ 2 min - 18
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it sit for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents it from falling apart.
⏱️ 20 min - 19
Serve the lasagna with Texas Roadhouse rolls (prepared with their provided glaze) and a side salad made with chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and ranch dressing, if desired.