Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Lasagna can be an easy make ahead meal, especially if you make your tomato sauce ahead of time or use store bought sauce.  I actually like to use the no-boil lasagna noodles; it cuts the time in half and I don't notice any change in taste.  This time I made my own tomato sauce and added in sausage, but you could omit the meat if you want it to be vegetarian.  What I love about lasagna is how versatile it can be, you can add veggies, sometimes I add in mushrooms and/or spinach.  This recipe is a simple, traditional lasagna.  Enjoy!

Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can tomato sauce

6 ounce can tomato paste

16 ounce (1 package) hot pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean brand.)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, dried

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Lasagna

9 ounce (1 box) no-boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla brand.)

14 ounce ricotta cheese (I used whole milk ricotta.)

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup parmesan cheese

Directions for Tomato Sauce

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, cook sausage until browned.  Add in minced garlic.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, and tomato paste.  Add in parsely, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Allow to cool.

Directions for Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread about 2 cups of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish.

Arrange 4 lasagna noodles on top of tomato sauce, the noodles will overlap slightly.

Spread 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture over noodles.  Top with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles , remaining ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Last layer, 4 lasagna noodles, remaining tomato sauce, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered with foil for 40 to 50 minutes.  (Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray to prevent foil from sticking to the cheese.)

Uncover and continue baking for additional 5 to 7 minutes minutes until cheese is melted.

Let stand  and cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

My best friend from college has a great recipe from her mother for meatballs and a tomato based spaghetti sauce.  It's a family recipe and I have been sworn to secrecy!  It actually took me 8 years to get it and I'm so sorry that I can't share it with you!  But this one I am sharing with you is almost as good :)  Feel free to serve it with your favorite pasta, mine is with spaghetti.  You can also make meatball subs too.  I have eaten these with pretzel rolls to make mini meatball sandwiches for lunch.  

 

Tonight, I had spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce, served with a baked sweet potato and roasted curried cauliflower.  Buon Appetito!  

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 pound ground beef (You can use ground turkey.)

1 pound pork sausage (You can use chicken sausage.)

1 egg

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs.)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon parsley (I used fresh from the tube.)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the tomato sauce

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

6 ounce can tomato paste

1 cup water

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon parsley, dried

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (Add more if you like spicy.)

Directions

For the tomato sauce

In a large pot, add in all the tomatoes and water.  Add in the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parsley, and crushed red pepper.  Stir well and cook over low heat.  Add in meatballs and cover with a lid.  Cook for at least 30 minutes.

For the meatballs

In a large bowl, mix the ingredients together.  Roll into balls onto a baking sheet.  Broil meatballs until lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through, because you will add the meatballs into the tomato sauce to continue cooking.

Don't forget to sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top :)

Note:  I made 45 (1-inch sized) meatballs.  You can make less, but larger meatballs; just be sure to cook them a little longer.  I also froze leftovers into 2 freezer Ziploc bags, don’t forget to label and date the bags.  They should keep for a few months.