Sweet and Spicy Lasagna – An Easy Recipe the Whole Family Can Make
Do you have kids at home who ask you “What’s for dinner?” Now’s a great time to involve the whole family in the preparation of an amazing meal that’s perfect for cool, autumn evenings. This lasagna recipe is so simple, even young children can help with cooking and assembling. This delicious meal can be prepared in about 20 minutes, plus another 30 minutes or so to bake.
How to make Sweet and Spicy Lasagna
First, you’ll need to choose your favorite meat. Visit the Butcher Shop in Eagle Point, Oregon for the finest selection of locally sourced quality meat. For this lasagna, you’ll use a combination of TBS Ground Beef and TBS Sausage. All of our sausage is made right here in house! It’s up to you whether your family prefers the TBS Sweet Sausage or the TBS Spicy Sausage. Or, mix them to get a flavor somewhere between the two
Ingredients:
- ½ lb TBS Ground Beef
- 1 lb TBS Sweet or TBS Spicy Sausage
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp red pepper flakes (optional if you want to add a little extra heat)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¾ C yellow onion (chopped)
- A few dashes of virgin olive oil
- ¾ C green bell pepper (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped finely or minced)
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 12 oz jar tomato sauce
- 12-15 lasagna noodles (Tip: Using no-boil lasagna noodles not only makes preparation easier, but the noodles also soak up the sauce and help your lasagna set up better.)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/3 C parmesan cheese
- 4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375F and dig out your favorite lasagna or casserole-baking dish.
PREPARE THE MEAT:
- Add a few dashes of virgin olive oil to a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions. When the onions become translucent (approximately 3 minutes), add the garlic and the bell peppers. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until peppers soften slightly.
- Add the TBS Ground Beef and TBS Sausage to the skillet. Break up the meat with a spatula so it can brown evenly. Add 1 tsp of the ground pepper, salt, basil, oregano, and optional red pepper flakes to the browning meat.
- Next, finish cooking the meat by adding the diced tomatoes. Cover with a lid and remove from the burner.
PREPARE THE RICOTTA CHEESE:
- Combine the ricotta cheese and an egg in a medium bowl. Mix the contents together with a fork until blended. Add Parmesan cheese and ½ tsp of ground black pepper. Set aside.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
- To assemble your lasagna, start by adding ½ – 1 cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover the sauce with one layer of noodles.
- Evenly spread out the entire ricotta mixture over the noodles, and then cover with another layer of noodles.
- Add half the meat mixture, and then cover with another layer of noodles.
- Add half the shredded mozzarella cheese in an even layer and cover it with the remaining meat mixture. Cover with another layer of noodles.
- Cover with the remaining tomato sauce and the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
BAKING
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then, pull the foil from the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly golden.
- Cool for 15 minutes prior to serving.
Remember to add a visit to The Butcher Shop to your weekly shopping list! All of our meats are natural, non-GMO, and free-range sourced from local farmers here in Southern Oregon.