In my opinion, there is nothing better than lasagna homemade. It is a staple that each cook ought to include in their recipe portfolio. This ideal dish consists of tender pasta sheets, a cheese filling, and a hearty, meaty tomato sauce. I'm sharing mom's multi-generational recipe, so we can enjoy it.
What ingredients are in the meat sauce?
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lean ground beef
- Italian sausage (gluten-free)
- Mushrooms
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free)
- Red wine
- Salt
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Black pepper
- Chopped Parsley
What ingredients are in lasagna filling?
- Chopped spinach
- Ricotta Cheese
- Egg
- Parmesan cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt
Which noodles will I need for this gluten-free lasagna recipe?
You will need gluten-free lasagna noodles (enough to cover the pan 4 times). If you're not gluten-free, you can use conventional pasta to make this recipe.
Want to take this recipe a step further & make your own noodles? I've got you covered!
If you're looking for store-bought pasta, I like Manini's fresh gluten-free pasta sheets, or La Veneziane, Jovial or Barilla sheets.
What size baking dish will I need for this recipe?
You will need a deep 9x13 baking dish.
How many layers does this lasagna have?
This recipe has 4 delicious layers of pasta, with filling between.
Can this lasagna be prepped beforehand?
You may assemble this lasagne and refrigerate it to bake the next day. Allow about 30 minutes more covered baking time.
Mama's Gluten Free Meat Lasagne: Lasagna Homemade
Equipment
- 1 9 x 13 pan (use a deep 9x13)
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz gluten-free Lasagne noodles (enough to cover a 9 x 13 pan 4 times)
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced about ¼ inch or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ lb gluten-free Italian Sausage casing removed
- 6 oz sliced mushrooms
- 16 oz tomato sauce (or a mixture of tomato sauce and some diced tomatoes)
- 6 oz tomato paste, mixed with ¾ cup of water
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp each oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, and freshly ground black pepper (or 1-½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and the pepper)
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Filling:
- 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ¼ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided (1 cup for filling, reserve ¼ cup for top) or Mozzarella
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce:
- Using a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat, add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, until onion becomes translucent.
- Add ground beef and Italian sausage and cook about 4 minutes more, breaking it up as you go, until it's mostly browned. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes more. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste mixture, mix well. Add the Worcestershire sauce and wine, stir. Add the herbs and seasonings, mix well, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer while you prepare the rest of the lasagna.
For the filling:
- Make certain as much of the moisture from the spinach as possible has been drained out. Combine filling ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside (or refrigerate if making in advance.)
For the lasagna:
- Boil water and cook lasagna noodles as manufacturer directs.
- Drain lasagna noodles and layer into 9 x 13 inch (25x35 cm)baking dish: sauce, noodles, filling, noodles - repeat - spread sauce generously over top.
- Bake at 350° F (180°C) for 45 minutes, covered with foil. Remove the foil cover and sprinkle ¼ cup jack cheese on top. Bake 15 minutes more, serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photos by James Collier
Meat Sauce: the start of everything good.
Every Italian family has a sauce recipe that they claim is the best - this is our family's Meat Sauce. You be the judge.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Lasagna:
Definitely wait ten minutes until trying to serve your meaty, cheesy lasagna, as tempting as it may be to do so right away. By doing so, you'll allow the layers to settle and then set.
Overlayering, overfilling, failing to drain excess fat from the meat, super wet noodles, wet ricotta, vegetables that release moisture as they cook, and forgetting to cool the lasagna completely before slicing are the most frequent causes of runny lasagna.
Adding eggs to the ricotta mixture produces a creamier cheese layer that binds the lasagna's layers together and gives the dish its overall shape when served.
It has had time to marinate the entire dish. Additionally, the sauce has had time to thicken and develop an even more robust tomato flavor.
If you're looking for store-bought pasta, look for Manini's fresh gluten-free pasta sheets, or La Veneziane, Jovial or Barilla dried lasagna sheets. The best gluten-free lasagna is made with homemade pasta, using a recipe like this one with gluten-free flour, eggs and salt.
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