Description

This classic-style homemade meat lasagna is layered with a rich beef and pork sauce, a creamy ricotta and cottage cheese filling, and plenty of melted mozzarella. Trimmed noodles create clean layers and a perfect pan fit, with leftover pieces used to finish the top layer. A cozy, freezer-friendly dinner that’s made for both now and later.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 pound ground beef

3/4 pound ground pork

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

2 28-ounce cans no-salt-added crushed tomatoes

2 14.5-ounce cans no-salt-added Italian-style tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

4 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups nonfat cottage cheese

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

1 15-ounce container nonfat ricotta

1 egg white, lightly beaten

20-24 lasagna noodles

3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and pork and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat and set the meat aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until just shy of al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and lay noodles flat on a parchment-lined or lightly greased sheet pan so they don’t stick.
Once cooled enough to handle, trim the noodles as needed so they fit the pan without folding. Set the trimmed pieces aside.
Wipe out the Dutch oven and lightly coat it with cooking spray. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Return the cooked meat to the pot. Stir in 2 tablespoons of parsley, crushed tomatoes, Italian-style tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue simmering for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, and egg white until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two 8×8 baking dishes with cooking spray. Spread about ¾ cup of sauce in the bottom of each pan. Layer 3–4 of the larger trimmed noodles over the sauce.
Divide the ricotta mixture evenly between the two pans and spread it over the noodles. Spoon about 2¼ cups of sauce over each pan, then sprinkle about 1 cup of mozzarella over each. Add another layer of noodles, then repeat with the remaining ricotta mixture and more sauce. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella.
Save the trimmed noodle pieces and any remaining cut sections to assemble the final noodle layer, fitting them together like a puzzle to fully cover the top layer of sauce. Then top each pan generously with the remaining sauce. Reserve the remaining mozzarella for baking.
To bake now, cover one pan tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes, until melted and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
For the second pan, do not bake. Let cool completely if the sauce is warm, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Label and freeze.
To bake from thawed, refrigerate overnight, remove plastic wrap, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 1 hour. Add the remaining mozzarella during the last 10 minutes. To bake from frozen, keep covered and add about 30 extra minutes before uncovering and finishing with cheese.

Notes

This recipe yields two full 8×8 pans of lasagna, making it ideal for serving now and freezing one for later.

If you prefer to use a 9x13 pan, fill the 9×13 as directed, then use the remaining ingredients to assemble a smaller additional pan (such as a loaf pan) to bake or freeze for later.

For large gatherings, double the recipe and assemble in two 9×13 pans. This provides full, properly layered lasagna without thin sections or leftover ingredients.

The combination of ricotta and cottage cheese creates a creamy, cohesive cheese layer that stays light while still feeling rich.

Using a mix of beef and pork gives the sauce a deeper, more traditional flavor.

Slightly undercooking the noodles helps the lasagna hold its structure once baked. Allowing the lasagna to rest after baking is essential for clean, well-defined slices.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Italian-American