Italian Sausage Lasagna
This Italian sausage lasagna layers flavorful sausage, sweet bell peppers, and onions in a rich tomato sauce with creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella for the ultimate comfort food upgrade. Perfect for family dinners or special occasions, it can be made ahead and produces leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed (sweet or hot, your preference)
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 cans 28 oz each crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 lasagna noodles regular or oven-ready
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- If using regular lasagna noodles, cook them according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and lay them flat on a baking sheet to prevent sticking. If using oven-ready noodles, skip this step.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the sausage and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly. Remove bay leaves when done.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. Mix well and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of your 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Layer 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping them. For oven-ready noodles, make sure they don't touch the edges of the dish.
- Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by 1/4 of the meat sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat these layers two more times: noodles, ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella.
- For the final layer, place the remaining 4 noodles, top with the remaining meat sauce, the last cup of mozzarella, and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
- Cover with aluminum foil, making sure it doesn't touch the cheese (tent it slightly if needed).
- Bake covered for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it. This helps it set and makes for cleaner slices.
- Garnish with additional fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- For maximum flavor, make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. The flavors will deepen and meld beautifully.
- If using oven-ready noodles, you may want to add a little extra liquid to your sauce as these noodles absorb more moisture during baking.
- To prevent a watery lasagna, don't skip the resting time after baking. Those 15 minutes make a big difference!
- This lasagna freezes beautifully—either before or after baking. If freezing before baking, allow to thaw completely in the refrigerator before putting it in the oven.
- For extra decadence, substitute half of the mozzarella with fontina or provolone.