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Homemade Baked Lasagna Recipe for Family Gatherings
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Lasagna is a comfort food that can be hard to get just right and even harder to find the time to make. It’s layered with zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta for a healthy spin on an old classic.
Lasagna is a wonderful family dish because it’s an easy casserole to make and the whole family loves it. It also makes great leftovers for lunch or another dinner later in the week. And you can get really creative with your homemade lasagna, which means this recipe will never get old!
In this article, we are sharing an easy and doable homemade baked lasagna recipe you can cook for your family, whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or an expert in cooking at home.
Health benefits of Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the staple favorites of people around the globe. It’s a comfort food for many, containing rich cheese flavor, hefty noodles, savory tomato sauce, and a variety of vegetables or meat.
It has various health benefits coming from each ingredient. Plain pasta has an amount of fiber, and it will be more fibrous if you used whole wheat pasta, which is more filling compared to the plain one.
Meat is a good source of iron, especially on minced meat. Mixing your meat with some vegetables can add nutrients to your lasagna’s nutritional profile. Cheese can be fatty but is filled with calcium and magnesium beneficial for your bones, muscle, and teeth.
How to cook homemade baked Lasagna
There are many recipes that offer different ways to cook the crowd favorite lasagna. If you’re just starting out baking meals, no worries! This dish is relatively easier to make, although there could be a great number of variations.
The beauty of cooking homemade food is you don’t get the same taste on every lasagna dish, because it depends on who is cooking and how they do it. Even if you give the same exact ingredients and instructions, the taste would still vary, especially when you cook it with love.
Ingredients
- 750g ground beef
- 1 onion finely (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 can marinara sauce
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 pack lasagna noodles
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 500g mozzarella cheese slices
- 200g shredded mozzarella cheese
Procedure
Step 1
In a large skillet, heat the ground beef over medium heat until it is browned and no longer pink with medium temperature. Stir in your prepared minced onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until tender. Mix in the tomatoes and let it simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set it aside. Use your home food thermometer to know if you’ve reached the target temperature to bake your lasagna. Having a reliable digital food thermometer can help you cook food with the right temperature.
Step 3
Boil water and sprinkle a pinch of salt in water and toss in the pasta. Make sure you’re cooking noodles according to the package instructions; drain and place aside.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and ricotta until well combined. In a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan, place 3 cups of the meat sauce. Layer 3 of the noodles, then top it with half the cottage mixture. Top with 1/3 of mozzarella slices and 1/3 of shredded mozzarella. Repeat the process until you fill your pan and you’re satisfied with the layers of your lasagna. Place the noodles on top, add 2 1/2 cups of meat sauce, half the cottage mixture, 1/3 the mozzarella slices, and 1/3 the shredded mozzarella.
For the last part, layer the remaining 3 noodles on top, 2 1/2 cups of meat sauce, 1/3 mozzarella slices, and 1/3 shredded mozzarella. Also put the basil on top so your dish would be fragrant once baked in the oven.
Step 5
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake it in the preheated oven at 375°F for 30 minutes. Using aluminum foil can help even the heating and temperature throughout your pan so it will cook evenly. Use your food thermometer as a gauge of whether your dish is cooking at the right temperature.
Remove foil and bake until golden brown for approximately 15 minutes. Check it from time to time. Once done baking, allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Conclusion
Learning how to cook a homemade baked lasagna is easy and fun. This staple favorite is surely a delight for family gatherings. You can modify the ingredients and process as you please since homemade dishes are always catered towards how each member of your family likes it. The important thing is, you are cooking it with love.
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