Ingredients:
Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage (optional, for extra flavor)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 oz) jar of marinara sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Cheese Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Other Layers:
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Meat Sauce:
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef, sausage, and diced onion over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in garlic, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the Cheese Mixture:
- In a bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, Parmesan, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Mix well.
- Assemble the Lasagna:
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Layer 4 cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce.
- Spread half of the cheese mixture on top.
- Add another layer of meat sauce, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. Sprinkle Parmesan over everything.
- Bake:
- Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let it Rest:
- Allow the lasagna to sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps it set and makes serving easier.
