BEST Hearty Lasagna Recipe: for the Ultimate Meat Lovers

This hearty Lasagna recipe combines 3 different types of meat and 7 different cheeses for the Ultimate meat lovers dinner. The homemade marinara sauce has an authentic Italian taste. One dish you will be asked for the recipe over and over again at potlucks!

This hearty lasagna is one of those fail-proof dinners, and everyone loves it. It is a great meal to serve when we are having someone over for Sunday dinner.

Once you have tried this ultimate lasagna recipe, you will never reach for another one. It has every imaginable lasagna flavor bursting in one incredible dish! It’s sure to make your children regularly come home for dinner!

Just to warn you, this recipe is not a quickie! This one takes a few hours. If I start it at 3 we are usually eating by 6 pm. It’s not a lot of standing work, but more so just time for the sauce to meld together.

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

• CHEESY – Extra creamy and gooiness with the 7 varieties of cheeses. It has both ricotta and cottage cheese, giving you a more rounded texture and flavor.
• HOMEMADE MARINARA – This homemade marinara sauce can simmer for a long time if you are able to. Which gives this hearty lasagna recipe an authentic fresh Italian taste.
• HEARTY – Using three different types of meat packs this dinner with protein. The ground beef, ground turkey, and Italian sausage give an abundance of meatiness to this lasagna.
• GUESTS – This is the most impressive lasagna recipe you will ever come across. So make sure to save it and serve it the next time you have company over!

How to Make This Hearty Lasagna Recipe: Step by Step

1. Make meat sauce
2. Boil noodles
3. Make Ricotta mixture
4. Layer the lasagna
5. Cover with foil and bake.
6. Rest the lasagna before serving.

TOOLS LIST:    

• Cheese grater
• Dutch oven
• Large stock pot: for boiling the noodles
• Colander: for draining the noodles
• Deep dish 13×9 casserole dish

Hearty Lasagna Recipe: INGREDIENTS LIST  

• THREE types of meat – lean ground beef, Italian sausage, and ground turkey
• Onion and garlic – sauteed to make the sauce
• Wine – any red wine to add a sundried tomato taste. The alcohol gets cooked out and leaves the caramelized depth of flavor. It can be traded for beef broth.
• Olive oil – used to saute the onion and garlic
• Tomatoes – Tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste
• Seasonings – salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, garlic powder, fresh basil, fresh parsley, and dried Italian seasoning
• Sweetener – the added honey helps drive home the sundried tomato flavors. The only changes I ever make is using brown sugar when company comes.
• Egg – to bind the cheeses together
• 12 Lasagna noodles – I often times will just use storebought noodles, but this is above and beyond good when made with homemade noodles.

SEVEN CHEESES:

• Cottage cheese: use full fat.
• Ricotta cheese: use full fat.
• Mozzarella cheese: use aged so it melts better.
• Parmesan cheese: use a wedge of parmesan and grate it fresh.
• Monterey cheese
• Provolone cheese
• Asiago cheese

Protips for Making This Hearty Lasagna Recipe: SAUCE

• Deglazing with wine: this not only holds onto the delicious caramelized meat tidbits. But it also gives the tomatoes a sundried tomato richness.
• Meat Sauce: Simmering the meat sauce for an extended time is the best way to make a fantastic lasagna with an authentic Italian taste. It really helps to develop the flavors and allow them to caramelize together to make this the best lasagna. Cooking out the excess moisture also ensures you don’t end up with a soggy lasagna.
• Fresh herbs: I like to make sure I have fresh thyme, basil, and parsley. The freshness more resembles real Italian cuisine. If all you have on hand are dried herbs, no worries. Just use those. The original recipe only ever called for dried herbs anyway.
• Meat options: I’ve seen recipes where people swap out the meat for cooked shredded chicken breast. I’ve never tried it but feel free to use different kinds of meat. Spicy sausage or turkey pepperoni are delicious for a different kind of meaty lasagna.

Protips for Making This Hearty Lasagna Recipe: OTHER

• Foil: Spray the foil before covering so it doesn’t stick. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking to ensure a golden brown top.
• Rest: Letting the lasagna rest before serving helps it to firm up and hold its shape.
• Use several different kinds of cheese: adds a whole other element that always ends in great lasagnas. Make sure to use aged Mozzarella cheese, not fresh, and grate it yourself. You don’t need the added moisture from fresh mozzarella.
• Use a deep enough pan: Lasagna is a large meal, it barely fits in most 13×9 pans. So get one a little deeper than normal to make sure the sauce doesn’t boil over. And even at that, I like to place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven, underneath, to catch any possible drips. Trust me, it will save you from cleaning your oven.
• Cover the top with enough sauce: Make sure you spread enough sauce over the whole top noodle layer. This will ensure that you don’t burn or dry it to a hard crispy noodle.
• Don’t overcook: You want your lasagna top to be golden brown, but not burnt. Cook it for the minimum time, then check to make sure it really needs that last 5 minutes.
• Noodles: You can swap the noodles out and use uncooked lasagna noodles as long as they are oven-ready lasagna sheets. This saves some prep time for sure because hard noodles are easier to work with when layering and you don’t have to cook them.

How to Make this Hearty Lasagna Recipe: 

Step 1 Meat Sauce Mixture 

The first thing is to make the Meat Sauce Mixture: In a large skillet saute beef, sausage, and ground turkey 1 T olive oil on medium-high heat till brown. If using storebought meat make sure to stop and drain fat here. It can leave a little bit of a dull flavor in the final meat mixture. 

Next add bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, and onions in with the meat and sausage mixture. Then cook till translucent, and fragrant. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Add the 1⁄2 c butter and wine to deglaze. Simmer for 10 mins.

Next, while you are waiting for the wine to evaporate mix the rest of the sauce ingredients in a bowl to save time. In a medium bowl mix the honey, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. In a small bowl mix all the spices together thoroughly: salt, pepper, thyme, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, bay leaves, and oregano.

Pro Tip: I like to make my own sauce from scratch the long way because it is the real deal. And I want to make memories with my family that revolve around enjoying time together. But if its your first time making lasaga feel free to just use jarred marinara sauce from the store. You could trade out all of the rest of the meat sauce ingredients and instructions, and just add the jar directly to the meat mixture. That would sure make it an easy recipe.

Pro Tip: Simmering the meat sauce for an extended time is the best way to make a fantastic meat lasagna with an authentic Italian taste. It really helps to develop the flavors and allow them to caramelize together.

Step 2 Ricotta Cheese Mixture 

In a large mixing bowl mix ricotta cheese, cottage cheese,  egg, and 2 Tbsp parsley. And Mix well. 

Then, in another medium bowl mix 1 c mozzarella, ½ c parmesan, ½ c Monterey jack cheese, ½ c provolone cheese, and ½ c Asiago.  With all this gooey cheese it sure makes a delicious cheese lasagna.

Step 3 Cook Noodles 

Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil on medium heat. Add salt and add 15 lasagna noodles. And cook until al dente according to package instructions.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 4 Layer the Casserole 

First layer: Spread a thin layer of sauce meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. I use a deep 9×13 casserole dish. It usually takes me about a cup of the meat sauce to do this. You can put a little bit of extra sauce if you want. Add 5 noodles. Spread ½ the ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese mixture. Next spread ⅓ of the meat sauce. 

Second layer: Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread another layer of the ricotta cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese mixture. Then, spread ⅓ of the meat sauce. 

Third layer: Add 5 noodles. Spread the last layer of the meat sauce over the top layer. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese mixture.

Step 5 Bake 

Then cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese turns golden. 

Step 6 Rest Before Serving 

Next remove from the oven. Let lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. 

How Long to Let Lasagna Cool Before Serving?

Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. This lets the noodles absorb the juices and helps the lasagna hold its shape.

This lasagna is so much better than your regular lasagna. It simply can not only be made on special occasions. Make it often. Make it slow. This is by far my favorite of all Italian recipes and I hope it becomes yours too!

FAQs

Can Lasagna be Frozen? 

Yes, Lasagna freezes great! Just make sure to cool the lasagna to room temperature first to prevent condensation from forming. That would make a soggy lasagna when you go to reheat it. I love freezer meals, especially after having babies or when the whole family is down and sick. To just pull out a meal and not have any prep work is handy.

Cover with saran wrap, then cover with foil to ensure no freezer burn. When ready to cook, simply remove the day before and thaw in the fridge. The next day, remove the saran wrap and recover with the foil. Bake for 60 mins at 375. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Can you Prepare Lasagna Ahead of Time? 

You can make this hearty lasagna recipe ahead of time. Make sure you cover it with saran wrap before covering it with aluminum foil. Then store it in the fridge. 

When you are ready, pull it out and bake it as normal. You might need to add 10 mins to ensure it is heated through.

How Long Does Uncooked Lasagna Last in the Fridge?

You can keep a lasagna in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. If your fridge is set at a lower temperature it might stay good for as long as 7 days. But don’t keep it any longer than that.

What is a Good Lasagna Baking Dish to Use?

Any dish with tall sides and measures about 13×9. There are a lot of layers. Sometimes a whole recipe won’t be able to fit in a smaller casserole dish without bubbling over the edges.

What Temperature Should a Lasagna Bake at?

375 Is the perfect temperature to bake Lasagna. Recipes will vary between 350 and 400 usually. But we like that 375 will heat it through without drying it out or burning the bottom. And the top comes out perfect!

How Long to Bake Lasagna at 425?

If you are trying to cook a lasagna quicker, you can cook it at 425 for about 30-40 minutes. Make sure to keep it covered with foil though so it doesn’t dry out. It is not the best temperature or time. But if crunched for time it’s doable.

How to Tell if Lasagna is Done?

The best way to tell if a lasagna is done is to take the temperature. It should be 165 degrees F and golden brown when it’s done.

How Should I Cut the Lasagna?

I like to cut it with a knife into the slices first. Then remove with a spatula to serve the pieces.

How Many Servings are in a 9×13 Pan of Lasagna?

There are 12 normal-sized servings in a 9×13 pan of lasagna. It can vary slightly though depending on if there are lots of side dishes to fill people up or not. 

Can you Make Lasagna Gluten-Free?

You can absolutely make this recipe gluten-free. Just swap out the noodles for a gluten-free one.

How Many Layers Are There in Lasagna?

This lasagna has 10 layers: 4 layers of meat sauce, 2 layers of cheese mixture, 3 layers of noodles, and 1 shredded cheese layer.

Simple How to Layer Lasagna Quick

1. Meat sauce
2. Noodles
3. Ricotta and cheese mixture
4. Meat sauce
5. Noodles 
6. Ricotta and cheese mixture
7. Meat sauce
8. Noodles
9. Meat sauce 
10. Sprinkle Mozzarella Cheese

What to Serve with This Hearty Lasagna Recipe?

• Fresh garlic breadsticks
• Green caesar or Italian salad.
• Roasted asparagus or brussels sprouts

Other Hearty Lasagna Recipes:

• Leftover Lasagna Soup
• Spinach Lasagna Recipe
• Lasagna Rolls Ups Recipe
• ​Cheesy Lasagna
• Mexican Lasagna

More Cadence Farmhouse Recipes to Try:

• Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
• Sourdough Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe
• Italian Sausage Meatloaf Recipe
• Stroganoff Recipe
• Sloppy Joes Recipe
• Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

If you tried this recipe, tag us on IG @CadenceFarmhouse! And comment below what you thought!

When I was a young wife, the very first Lasagna Recipe I fell in love with was from Natasha’s Kitchen! I’ve kept some of her inspiration in my recipe all these years even this hearty meat lasagna. She’s the best!