Chi-Chi's Classic Lasagna

5 from 3 votes

A delicious ground beef and sausage lasagna recipe that everyone at the table will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword classic lasagna recipe, easy lasagna recipe, homemade lasagna recipe, lasagna recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 464kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

¾ lb. lean ground beef
¾ lb. ground Italian sausage
9 lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces, or more or less, depending on the size of your pan)
2 cups Tomato & Basil pasta sauce (or use your own homemade sauce)
1 cup Classico Sundried Tomato Alfredo sauce (or sub with Trader Joe’s Creamy Tomato Basil sauce, or just use regular Alfredo sauce)
2 ¼ cups ricotta cheese (about 20 ounces)
4 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain pasta. Lay the cooked noodles out in a single layer on foil or on a sheet pan that's lightly coated with cooking spray so that they don't stick.

While the noodles cook, get started on the sauce. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and sausage until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease; return the cooked meat to the skillet. Stir in the marinara sauce and the Alfredo sauce.

Spoon about ¼ of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish to cover in a thin layer. Add a layer of noodles (about 3 noodles across).
Spread a layer of ricotta (about ¾ cup) over the noodles. I find that it’s easiest to drop small spoonfuls of the ricotta all over the top and then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to gently spread it in an even layer.
Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over top of the ricotta (I use about 1 cup of mozzarella per layer). Repeat the layers twice more (meat sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella). Finish with a final layer of sauce, sprinkle with another 1 cup of mozzarella, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cover a large baking sheet with foil (to catch any drips), and place the lasagna dish on top of the baking sheet. Bake the lasagna, uncovered, for about 45 minutes (or until the inside is hot and bubbly).
Allow the lasagna to stand and set up for about 15-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

My mother-in-law uses Classico Sundried Tomato Alfredo sauce, Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo sauce, or a Creamy Tomato Basil sauce from Trader Joe's. If you can't find these varieties, then just use a regular Alfredo sauce or a Vodka sauce. They will still provide that creamy hint of rich flavor.

Add plenty of salt to the pasta cooking water. This is your opportunity to season the noodles.

Assemble the casserole in a fairly deep 9 x 13-inch dish. You’ll have thick layers that fill the dish to the top! I also like to place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet while it’s in the oven, just in case any of the sauce drips over the edge.

Use whole milk ricotta cheese for the richest, creamiest, smoothest texture.

Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This will help the cheese set so that it slices cleanly and doesn’t ooze out.

Garnish with plenty of fresh parsley or basil for a bright addition to the baked casserole.