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This homemade baked lasagna recipe is every cheese lover’s personal slice of heaven. You’ll smell the rich aroma escaping from your kitchen oven long before you take the first bite. Packed with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, basil, and ground beef, this dish is bursting with delicious flavor. And of course, no Southern lasagna would be complete without a sinful amount of cheese.
Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese combine beautifully to make one addictive dish. It’s the ultimate comfort food. With lasagna noodles galore, this recipe truly has it all. The first time you make it surely won’t be your last.
Do you want to know the best part? It’s the ultimate make-ahead dish. With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, any item you can make ahead of the holiday is a life-saver. Follow the instructions, but stop right before putting it in the oven. Instead, let the lasagna cool and pop it in the freezer to serve at a later date!
How to Make It
Step 1
Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until tender; drain. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain, and set aside.
Step 3
Place 11/2 cups meat sauce in a 13- x 9-inch greased baking dish. Dollop ⅔ cup cottage cheese and ⅔ cup ricotta over meat sauce, top with ⅓ of mozzarella cheese slices and ⅓ of shredded cheese. Place 1 single layer of noodles on top of cheese, then continue layering with remaining meat sauce, cottage cheese, ricotta, noodles and mozzarella. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
