Italian Sausage Lasagna

Restaurant Lasagna Recipe

A favorite and classic Italian Sausage Lasagna Recipe with Italian sausage, tomato sauce, ricotta and mozzarella cheese is very easy and delicious.

With a small salad, this lasagna recipe makes for a great meal. For many people, lasagna is real comfort food.

Lasagna noodles are wide pasta and usually rippled in North America, but most often flat in Italy.

Lasagna is also the name we give to the casserole made with alternating layers of lasagna noodles, sauce, vegetables, cheese, and often meat.

Lasagna is a favorite casserole or pasta dish at potlucks and a wonderful dinner at home anytime. Lasagna speaks to the tradition of sharing a meal.

Lasagna recipes are simple or complex. Lasagnas have a great deal of flexibility - so you decide. Try different ones, experiment and have some fun!

Italian Sausage Lasagna

Favorite Restaurant Lasagna Recipe

Preparation time: 45 minutes for cooking the sauce and pasta. Baking time is 65 minutes with a standing time of 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Ingredients for Italian Sausage Lasagna:

• 1 pound of Italian bulk sausage (or substitute Polish sausage, breakfast pork sausage or ground chuck)
• Lasagna sauce (recipe below)
• One 15-16 ounce container of ricotta cheese
• One 10 ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and the moisture squeezed out (take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator the night before)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (use your Microplane grater)
  
• 3 eggs
• 8 ounces of lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella cheese

Ingredients for Lasagna Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/2 cup minced celery
• 1/3 cup minced onions
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-14 ounce) can of tomato soup
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or a pinch more)
• 1 Bay leaf

Instructions for Italian Sausage Lasagna and Sauce:

• In a heavy sauté pan, brown the meat over medium heat
• While the meat is browning, heat 5 quarts of water in an 8 quart pot with 1-2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Remove the meat from the pan and drain
• When the water is boiling, add the lasagna noodles one at a time and cook according to package directions
• Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in the same pan as the meat was cooked in, add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic
• Sauté until the vegetables are soft
• Add the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling over medium heat
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

• Remove and discard Bay leaf
• Before adding the meat to the sauce, spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch lasagna pan (baking pan)
• Combine the meat with the remaining sauce
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese and eggs until well blended
• In the lasagna pan, layer half of the noodles, half of the meat mixture and half of the spinach mixture over the thin layer of sauce, then repeat the process
• Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours if desired
• Bake the lasagna, uncovered, in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 50-55 minutes or until heated through
• Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese and bake 5-7 minutes longer or until the cheese melts
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving

Serve the Lasagna with a side dish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the perfect added touch.

Enjoy your Italian Sausage Lasagna with Spinach and the company of those you share it with!

Donna

"Today I will be as useless as the "g" in lasagna."

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