I call this my weekend win, a lasagna recipe that tastes rich and cooks steady. We build sauce, we tuck in pasta, we finish with a molten crown of cheese. Each bite lands warm and bold. The pan leaves the oven and the room smells like tomato and basil and comfort. I learned this trick on a rainy night when friends called hungry. I browned beef with sausage, stirred in crushed tomatoes, and folded ricotta with an egg. I set the first noodle, then the sauce, then the soft layer of cheese, and I kept going. It felt like stacking small promises. That pattern still calms me, and it never fails. If you want a recipe for lasagna that carries a crowd, this one does the job with quiet confidence. We can riff and still keep balance. Try a lasagna recipe chicken with gentle spice. Reach for a million dollar chicken recipe on busy nights. Crave pasta speed, then a million dollar spaghetti recipe easy scratches that itch. Need more greens, bake a zucchini lasagna recipe for light layers or a lasagna recipe with spinach for a deep, cozy note. I serve a square, I watch the cheese stretch, and I think yes, this is dinner done right.

1 Key Takeaways
2 Easy Million Dollar Lasagna Recipe
3 Ingredients for Million Dollar Lasagna
4 How to Make Million Dollar Lasagna
5 Tips for Making Million Dollar Lasagna
6 Making Million Dollar Lasagna Ahead of Time
7 Storing Leftover Million Dollar Lasagna
8 Try these pasta dinners next
9 Million Dollar Lasagna
10 Nutrition

1 Key Takeaways

I wrote this as Elena for Elena Cooks at https://www.elenacooks.com. I keep the method simple and the flavor deep. Layers sit tight. Cheese melts smooth. The pan feeds a crowd without fuss. Two words guide me here lasagna recipe.

The sauce leans rich but not heavy. A mix of beef and sausage brings warmth. Ricotta rests light with egg and Parmesan. Noodles hold each line. The bake sets clean for neat slices.

Flex is built in. Swap in chicken for a lasagna recipe chicken on light nights. Fold in spinach for more greens. Keep notes as you cook. We learn with each pan. You will feel it click.

2 Easy Million Dollar Lasagna Recipe

I reach for this on rainy Sundays. I say it twice for luck and for search lasagna recipe and lasagna recipe. The rhythm soothes me. Sauce, noodle, ricotta, mozzarella. Then repeat. The oven does the rest, and the table gets quiet when it lands.

I keep tools close. A wide skillet for browning. A sturdy spoon for stirring. A nine by thirteen dish for tidy stacks. The steps stay short and close. Your focus stays easy. Your kitchen stays calm.

Friends ask why this wins. Balance. The sauce holds body. The cheese tastes clean. The noodles stay tender. If you like twists, try a zucchini lasagna recipe for lighter layers or a lasagna recipe with spinach for a cozy green note. Busy weeknight coming up, then a million dollar spaghetti recipe easy scratches the itch. Elena from Elena Cooks signs off with a smile.

3 Ingredients for Million Dollar Lasagna

Ground beef I like an eighty five percent lean grind for both flavor and moisture. It browns well and keeps the sauce lush without feeling heavy.

Italian sausage Sweet or mild works. Remove the casing. The spice lifts the meat and brings that familiar pizzeria sigh when it hits the pan.

Onion One medium, chopped fine. It softens into the sauce and adds a quiet sweetness that smooths the acidity of tomatoes.

Garlic Two cloves, minced. The scent blooms fast. Stir it near the end of the browning step to keep it from turning bitter.

Crushed tomatoes One large can. I like a brand with bright color and a clean label. The texture should be thick enough to coat a spoon.

Tomato paste Two small cans. This adds depth and helps the sauce cling to the noodles for a classic lasagna recipe mouthfeel.

Dried oregano Two teaspoons. It brings a green, peppery edge that wakes the sauce without crowding the basil.

Dried basil Two teaspoons. It leans sweet and round. Together with oregano it creates a steady base note.

Salt and black pepper Season to taste. I add pinches as I go. Taste after each simmer to keep the seasoning tight.

Ricotta One standard tub. I stir in one egg and Parmesan for body. The goal is spreadable and light.

Egg One large. It binds the ricotta so slices hold clean lines after the rest.

Parmesan One cup, grated, split between layers and topping. The nutty bite sharpens each forkful.

Lasagna noodles Twelve sheets, cooked and drained. I pat them dry so the layers do not slip.

Mozzarella Three cups, shredded. It melts into a soft blanket and gives that gentle stretch we all chase.

4 How to Make Million Dollar Lasagna

Step 1 Heat a large skillet over medium. Brown beef and sausage with onion until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in garlic near the end. Drain any extra fat.

Step 2 Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning. This base anchors the whole lasagna recipe.

Step 3 Mix ricotta with the egg and half the Parmesan. A pinch of salt helps. You want a smooth spread that holds a soft peak on the spoon.

Step 4 Heat the oven to three seven five F. Spoon a thin layer of sauce into a nine by thirteen dish. Lay three noodles. Spread ricotta. Scatter mozzarella. Spoon more sauce. Repeat until you reach the top.

Step 5 Finish with sauce and the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil. Bake twenty five minutes. Remove foil and bake thirty minutes more until the top bubbles and turns golden.

Step 6 Rest the pan fifteen minutes before slicing. The layers will set. The squares will lift clean. Breathe in that tomato and basil steam.

5 Tips for Making Million Dollar Lasagna

Salt pasta water well so the noodles taste seasoned from the start. Keep the sauce on the thicker side so no boil sheets still hydrate. A homemade lasagna recipe loves balance more than anything.

Shred your own mozzarella if time allows. Pre shred works in a pinch, yet hand shredded melts silkier. For a lighter pan, try a lasagna recipe chicken and watch how the spice in the sausage can carry the swap.

Let the bake rest. Ten to fifteen minutes locks the stack. Use a thin metal spatula to lift each square. Warm the plates for a small upgrade that feels like a hug.

6 Making Million Dollar Lasagna Ahead of Time

I assemble the dish in the morning. I cover it tight. I chill it until dinner. Cold layers bake a bit longer, so add ten minutes to the covered time. The rest of the plan stays the same.

For busy weeks I build two pans. One bakes now. One gets wrapped and frozen. When I pull the frozen pan, I thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then I bake it covered until hot and bubbly. It tastes like a fresh lasagna recipe even after the freeze.

Crave a twist for guests. Fold chopped spinach into the ricotta for a lasagna recipe with spinach. Or riff with a million dollar chicken recipe when poultry sounds right. Your kitchen, your call.

7 Storing Leftover Million Dollar Lasagna

Cool slices on the counter until steam fades. Pack pieces into shallow containers. Lids go on once the heat drops. This keeps the top from sweating.

Store in the fridge for three days. Reheat covered at three fifty F until the center reads hot. A spoon of water along the edge brings back moisture.

For longer storage, wrap squares and freeze. Label with the date so you rotate well. Thaw in the fridge and warm in the oven. Dinner is solved.

8 Try these pasta dinners next

9 Million Dollar Lasagna