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simple lasagna recipe With Basil Pesto Veins
- Total Time: 105 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: General
Description
This simple lasagna recipe with basil pesto veins offers a hearty, comforting family dinner, combining savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and vibrant green ribbons of pesto. It’s designed to be a satisfying and easy-to-make dish for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 12–16 sheets lasagna noodles (no-boil or traditional)
- 1.5 lbs (680g) ground meat (beef, Italian sausage, or a mix)
- 15 oz (425g) ricotta cheese
- 2 cups (226g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 24–32 oz (680-907g) marinara sauce
- 0.5 cup (120ml) basil pesto
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep Meat Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened (3-5 minutes). Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground meat, breaking it up, and cook until browned. Drain any excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
- Make Ricotta Filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 0.25 cup grated Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
- Assemble Lasagna Layers: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Lay 3-4 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella, then dot generously with half of the basil pesto. Repeat layers. Finish with a final layer of noodles, sauce, a generous sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake and Rest: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Draining ricotta thoroughly (pressing it gently in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes) prevents a watery lasagna. Resting the lasagna for 10-15 minutes after baking allows the layers to set and prevents a messy collapse. For quicker prep, use store-bought no-boil noodles, a good quality jarred marinara, and pre-shredded cheese. For spicier lasagna, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce; for a lighter dish, fold extra vegetables like diced zucchini or mushrooms into the sauce.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 200 g)
- Calories: 450 calories
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg