Ultimate Meat Lasagna

• Meat

  • 2 lbs Ground beef, lean

• Produce

  • 2 tsp Basil, dried leaves
  • 2 tsp Oregano, dried
  • 1/4 cup Parsley, fresh

• Refrigerated

  • 1 Egg

• Condiments

  • 6 cups Quick and easy marinara sauce

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 box Lasagna noodles

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
  • 2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes

• Dairy

  • 1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 lb Provolone cheese
  • 16 oz Ricotta cheese

Found on dinnerthendessert.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cups Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1 box lasagna noodles, I use flat no boil Barrilla noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ pound Provolone cheese, sliced
• ½ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large pot, brown the beef in one large piece until it is browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes.
• Break apart the beef into slightly larger chunks.
• Cook until the beef is browned and add in the basil, oregano, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and fennel seeds.
• Stir until you start to smell the fennel seeds starting to toast.
• Drain the fat and add in the marinara sauce.
• In your ricotta container if you have space add the egg and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and mix well.
• To make the lasagna:
• Add your no boil noodles to the meat sauce, we are not looking to cook them, just coat them in the sauce to ensure they dont get dry in the oven.
• Put 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan (I use one with straight sides for easy assembly and for added height. If you are using a glass baking pan with curved sides it may not be large enough to fit this quantity of food).
• Add the dried no boil noodles in an even layer, for me it was 5 noodles per layer, four across and one broken in half lengthwise to go down the side of the pan.
• Add ⅓ the provolone slices, another 1½ cups of the meat sauce, ⅓ of the mozzarella, ⅓ of the parmesan and ⅓ of the ricotta in spoonfuls dotting across the pan.
• Add another layer of noodles over it.
• Repeat with the same cheese/meat sauce process, another layer of noodles and for the final round of filling add the meat sauce, ricotta and provolone but save the Parmesan and mozzarella for the top of the lasagna.
• Finally, add a top layer of lasagna noodles and cover with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.
• Cover your baking pan with foil in a tented way, so that the cheese doesnt stick to the foil.
• Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional ten minutes to brown the cheese.
• Let cool for 20-25 minutes.
• Optionally, you can add additional marinara sauce and cheese to a cut portion and brown in a 425 degree oven just before serving so each plate has a crispy cheese topping and extra sauce.