Everyone enjoys this flavorful spread made with cream cheese and green olives. It is so delicious that even those who don’t like green olives, like me, adore it. My most popular recipe is this one. Try it! Don’t expect to be let down.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 2 hrs 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 15 mins |
| Total Time: | 3 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- Rest lasagna for 15 minutes before serving.
- Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 448 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 37 g |
| Cholesterol | 82 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Sodium | 1400 mg |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
WOW. I followed the directions precisely in preparing this lasagna for a dinner party. Everyone loved it. Simply delicious. Yes, it takes some time and work, but it’s definitely well worth the effort to create this masterpiece of a dish.
My family absolutely loves this lasagna!!!
This was the first time I have ever made lasagna in my life and it was BY FAR the best lasagna I’ve ever tasted. I just can’t get over it. Now, it did take forever. In fact, by the time it finished, everyone else had gone to bed and I was the only one up to eat it… and I ate 1/6 of the freaking pan by myself! I wasn’t even hungry but I just stayed awake long enough to make room for a 2nd (and 3rd) helping. I don’t remember adding any addicting drugs to the recipe but I must have because this can’t just be the result of ricotta & fresh herbs. My changes: skipped the tomato paste & fennel (didn’t have any), added 1/2 c. red wine (because I was already drinking it) & a layer of freshly grated parmesan on top of the ricotta mixture and I used shredded mozzarella instead of sliced. I thought this was just going to be another over-hyped popular recipe but, baby let me tell you, it exceeded expectations.
I followed the recipe with the exception of using turkey meat. I can see why people who cooked with sausage would think it might be too salty. My kids really prefer turkey meat and so do I. I used more Ricotta cheese. I did drain the turkey meat after I browned 2 lbs of meat. I used 85% percent lean and 15 % fat. Using fresh herbs also makes a difference in this recipe.
After years of searching for the perfect lasagna recipe, THIS IS IT! Make it exactly as directed. Do not change anything. I do prefer Ricotta cheese over Cottage Cheese lately as I can’t seem to buy a cottage cheese I like anymore…usually I find it too watery. I have friends that will always ask me to bring Worlds Best Lasagna when we go to their cottage for a visit. My family love it, even my picky eaters.
Making it today for the 20th+ time. My son who works at a restaurant asks that I always make extra The chef and employees of the restaurant rave about it! I sometimes add a little more of this or that and mushrooms but it’s always my favorite! A good jar sauce to substitute is Rao’s.
No joke the best lasagna i ever had. used thin pita instead of noodles and baked in oven for 25 instead of 50
The was way too salty and didn’t have good flavor. I wouldn’t make it again.
Amazing. I leave out the fennel seeds, and use oven ready lasagna… I also double the ricotta cheese mixture and use sweet and spicy sauce instead of ground beef…. Otherwise, exactly as it says… I usually make it (put together and bake) the night before. It always tastes better the next day! Enjoy!
I use the “meatloaf mix” of ground meat which is ground beef, ground pork, and veal. I nearly double the cheese and use fresh mozzarella and a fresh shredded blend of Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago instead of the ‘bagged’ cheeses. And I make it in 3 layers with just 4 noodles a layer instead of 6. It definitely makes a difference, and I always have a little sauce leftover which makes heating it up better to add a little extra sauce.
The bomb.
I was looking for a good recipe for lasagna and made this today! Wowwww I was so amazed how delicious this was and felt like I accomplished something so special and appealing for family and friends! Thank you so much for sharing! I added a little parm, and a layer of cut zucchini plus 1/3 cup water to my sauce so I didn’t have to boil my noodles first! Was so Devine and I made the Greek yogurt garlic knots with this too! So mouth watering
I have not tried it yet, I made a few changes. I did not precook the pasta so I add more sauce to adjust for that. I did use ground beef only sweet Italian sausage with the casing removed (cause well, yuck) and added some mushrooms, and lots of fennel and basil. I will do more ricotta cheese mixture next time. I split between two pans and froze one. I am single and I don’t like leftovers more that once. So, I frequently freeze half and cook it at a later date. It’s baking now. Supper should be great.
After making this the first time and getting rave reviews, by Italian ancestry family members, I threw away ever other lasagna recipe and this is my go to and most requested meal.
wow wow, best lasagna ever subbed ground turkey for ground beef and it was probs just as good. I made for the fam and everyone loved it!
I made this years ago many times. For holidays, when people have babies… You name it. Everybody always raves and says it is the best lasagna they’ve ever had. Sometimes I do variations like maybe I’ll add some pesto to the sauce instead of the Italian seasoning. The beauty of this recipe is you’ve got the basics and you can play. After a few years of not being into cooking… I am so happy to see that this recipe gets the recognition it deserves. It is literally the best lasagna in the world.
I’m so sorry to hear of John’s passing. Whenever I want to make lasagna I always look for his recipe. It really is the World’s Best Lasagna. Thanks for giving us your amazing recipe. I bet the Angels are lining up for it. Lisa R.
good
It was an easy recipe to follow and the results where delicious. Proud of my cooking skills today , thank you
The Best lasagna we’ve ever had.
Great…. You can really eat the sauce by itself it’s sooooooo good