Go Back
Best Easy Lasagna (With Sausage)
Print Recipe

Easy Lasagna with Sausage

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Holiday
Keyword: asiago cheese, homemade pasta, lasagna, mozzerella, parmesan, sausage, spinach
Servings: 12

Equipment

  • 9" x 13" lasagna pan (metal or ceramic)
  • aluminum foil
  • 5 quart or larger dutch oven or stock pot

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoon dried basil, divided
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage (or a combination)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup red wine (such as Cabernet or Merlot)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Cheese/Spinach Filling

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
  • 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 8 oz fresh mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil (optional)
  • 1 large egg

Assembly/Topping

  • 1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked and cooled
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing pan

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Grease a deep 9x13 lasagna pan with olive oil and set aside.


    3. In a small frying pan, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until warmed through and liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer cooked spinach to a large mixing bowl to cool.


    4. Make your sauce. In a 5 quart (or larger) saucepan or dutch oven over low heat, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until mostly softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tbs dry basil (reserve remaining tablespoon for later), sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until just fragrant, about 2 minutes.


    5. Bring heat up to medium and add sausage to pan, crumbling as you go with a wooden spoon or spatula until cooked through and no more pink is present, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir well, and cook 2-3 minutes util color deepens.
    6. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, reserved tablespoon dried basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
    7. Return heat to low, cover, and continue to cook, (stirring occasionally) for 10 minutes.

 While your sauce finishes cooking, get your cheese mixture ready. To the bowl with your cooled wilted spinach, add ricotta, 8 oz mozzarella, grated parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, nutmeg, fresh basil (if using) and 1 egg. Stir well to combine.
    8. Once the sauce is finished cooking, ladle some into the bottom of the greased dish to coat the bottom. Layer 3-4 lasagna noodles over the sauce (overlapping a bit), and using a spatula, spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles into an even layer.
    9. Add another layer of noodles and spread the remaining half of the cheese mixture over them. Add a final layer of noodles, and ladle sauce over until all noodles and edges are well covered.
    10. Top the lasagna and bake. Layer the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top, and drizzle with olive oil.
    11. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.


    12. After 30 minutes, uncover the lasagna and bake an additional 40-45 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly on top. Allow Lasagna to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing/serving.