Based on the reviews, I thought this recipe was going to be fantastic. I made it exactly as written and neither my husband nor myself liked it. The salt completely overwhelmes the other flavors. One day I may try it again, but if I did I would omit the salt entirely. It was not a good lasagna.
Eh. I love lasagna and was looking for a tasty and affordable version, rather than paying 10 dollars for Stouffer's. The cost was similar, but it had great reviews. To be honest, I did not care for it. I doubled the garlic and onion and added a second layer, and I left out the sausage for cost. Maybe it's better with the sausage, but I felt like there was no real flavor and everything just tasted like cardboard and paper.
I hate to say this - but I had really high expectations with this lasagna. This is very good lasagna, but I've been to enough good Italian restaurants to know that there is better. I cut the sugar in half, but next time I will completely remove the sugar. I do not like a sweet sauce.
I believe the amount of spice did not compliment the flavor of this dish. I did not care for this recipe.
The dish was good, the sauce itself was very flavorful, but to call it as written, the "World's Best Lasagna", not even close. There are elements of the dish that need tweaking, and then at best maybe 4 stars.
OMG, this lasagna is to DIE for!!! I followed the recipe exactly, except I added the tablespoon of salt to the sauce, but left out the 1/2 teaspoon of salt that was supposed to be mixed in with the ricotta/egg/parsley mixture. I also didn't add any salt to the boiling water when I cooked the noodles. It was still just a little bit too salty for my taste, so the next time I think I'll just add a teaspoon of salt to the sauce instead of a tablespoon (and again, I'll leave out the salt in the ricotta mixture and in the boiling water). Then it should be PERFECT! I made 3 layers instead of 2 and there didn't seem to be quite enough ricotta for the 3 layers, so next time I might also add a little more ricotta cheese, especially since that is my favorite part of a lasagna! I served this with a nice green salad and garlic cheese bread. My husband said it was the BEST lasagna he's EVER had!!! I would have to agree with him on that too, which is quite a compliment considering my grandma from Sicily used to make a pretty killer lasagna back in her day, but I honestly don't remember it being QUITE this good... Sorry, Nana! :) Thank you so much for sharing this AWESOME recipe, John! This one is definitely a keeper, folks... and it is worth every bit of time and effort involved! YUM!!!
I did not care for this. I was so excited to make it too. I can't believe it's rated this high! Definately not the world's best!
A lot of work for disappointing results. I've tried much easier lasagna recipes that tasted just as good if not better.
For my husband to say that this lasagna I made was better than his best friends recipe is a MIRACLE!!! This truly is a fantastic lasagna and I will never make another recipe from now on. Also, thank you for the tip about spraying the foil with cooking spray!!! I would always get irritated when the foil sank and the cheese got stuck to it. I have just learned so much about pasta sauce in general through this recipe. Thanks so much.
This is a great recipe for lasagna. I wouldn't say it is the best in the world, but it may be the best I've made. it's pretty meaty with a great long cooked sauce taste. The filling is delicious. I do think that the extra work is worth the effort, but there are some excellent jarred sauces out there that you could substitute with good results. It makes a lot of lasagna. I needed to use two pans (an 9 1/2" by 11" and and 8" by 8") and shared with our neighbors. I tasted an excellent lasagna in a local restaurant and I was hoping that this would compare to that experience. I think we would like it a little bit spicier. I plan to try this recipe again and will either use spicy sausage or add cayenne pepper.
Great recipe as is...but like most cooks I can't resist a few personal tweaks once in awhile. Personal preferences have evolved to using Sargento's Mozzarella/Provolone cheese combo, and occasionally I'll also mix in some Romano or Asiago. Love my cheese! Also switch between ricotta and cottage cheese (don't scrimp on quality; lower quality [store brand] ruins more lasagna than anything else). I find that the salt in the cheeses eliminates the need for adding extra salt suggested in the recipe and adds to a deeper flavor experience. For ingredients I usually use a little extra garlic and fennell, Hunts Garlic, Basil, Oregano sauce, and undrained Petite Diced Tomatoes rather than crushed to add texture. THis also makes the water in the recipe unnecessary. I don't put on the last layer of cheese and parmesan until the final 25 minutes of baking; allows the cheese to mingle with the sauce better, makes for a creamier top and browns perfectly to a golden tan. P.S. A point of info for others who seemed confused, sweet and mild Italian sausage are the same, just depends on how a brand labels their product.
This is pretty amazing stuff. I make 6 lil changes for 5 stars: I like 1-> more garlic and fennel seed! I crush the fennel seed in the mortal & pestle a few times to enhance their flavor, 2->fresh basil leaves, chopped or bruised whole, 3->a pinch of nutmeg in the ricotta (strain in first), 4->grated fresh mozz instead of sliced. the key secret to phenomenal flavor is 5-> deglazing the pan with some red wine once the meat is cooked. after the first layer of sauce and noodles on the bottom of the dish, I like to put 6-> a layer of fresh spinach (washed and well-dried) before continuing with the rest of the assembly. An old co-worker of mine taught me this because he could sneak spinach on his kid and it lessened the lasagna-soup (excess liquid on the bottom when cooked) issue some people complain about. Great stuff John! It IS worth the work! Great classic. Bring on the bread & seasoned olive oil and a salad! Oh, and some more of that aforementioned wine!
I spent all day making this lasagna for my family and i was extremely disapointed with the result. I followed the recipe to a T, except I cut down on the salt. It was still sooooooo salty. It was also too sweet. It needed way more spices and way less salt. I almost added more italian seasoning and black pepper but stopped myself since I wanted to follow the recipe (since i figured it would turn out perfect considering the reviews). I wish I would have just made my own, regular spaghetti sauce and used it for the recipe. My kids didn't even like it and they usually love italian food. It wasn't horrible, nor was it the world's best lasagna. I will not make this again nor do I recommend it to anyone. Sorry to all of you that love it...this is my opinion.
Being married to an Italian it's hard to find recipe's worthy. The best I ever made was when everything in the sauce was made from scratch with three different types of meat. Unfortunately that recipe was lost when my Mother-in-law passed away. This is something that's not that far off. Will definitely keep this one and make again.
This is very good lasagna, but not really that much better than any other recipe I've used...but a TON more work. Not really worth all the extra cost in groceries or my time. I'll stick to my other recipe...and just add the sweet Italian sausage
The sauce was great and that is about it. Too long cook time; lasagna came out dry when I followed the directions to a T. I was hoping this would blow a Costco frozen lasagna out of the water but for the time and cost it took to make, it wasn't mindblowing by any means.
I had high hopes for this recipe because of all the positive ratings. It's time consuming and doesn't result in a WORLDS BEST lasagna. I hate to be so critical but because of the total number of glowing reports I have to speak out. Better and easier recipe. Get a jar of prego and dress up anyway you like. Add 1 lb of ground beef for a nice meat sauce. Add 1 egg to 16 oz of ricotta, 1/2 grated parmesan and 1/4 cup sour cream. Boil 1 lb lasagna noodles for about 5 minutes (will not be soft). Add a bit of sauce to dish, layer 5 noodles, ricotta mixture, grated cheeses of your choice and sauce on top. Continue for 3 layers. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 375 degrees. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. This is a better and quicker recipe than the one you were looking at. Don't waste your time people. Easier and a better tasting Lasagna is only a few clicks away.
I have been making this recipe for a long time and it is excellent! Here are a few changes I have made over the years to make it even better! 1) Add more garlic! You can never have too much! 2) Substitute half of the water for a dry red wine. 3) Add a bay leaf and 1/2 tsp oregano. 4) Add 4-6 chopped fresh basil leaves. You will love the aroma in your kitchen, and be very satisfied with the flavor it adds to the outcome of this AWESOME recipe!
I am only giving this recipe one star due to the fact that it was entirely way too salty! I like to follow the recipes exactly to give a fair review and I ended up throwing this entire meal out! I wasted a ton of money for all the fresh ingredients and was disappointed. I will probably try this again without using all that salt. ***Just a warning to use A LOT LESS SALT***
This is very similar to my own recipe and it is the best!!...one thing that everyone might try ( Ididn't believe it when i was told) you can layer everything ( using plenty of sauce) and NOT have to precook the noodles. I use regular lasagna noodles and not the no cook. Just cover the pan very tightly with foild and cook @325 for about two hours. removefoil top with cheese and bake another 1/2 hour until melted. Makes for a nicely firm lasagna.
This plagiarized recipe came off the back of Creamette's lasagne noodle box only with a few tweaks. They call it Italian Lasagne, which is the world's greatest Lasagne, Just not John Chandler's. Here's the real one from their website: Italian Lasagna 1/2 of a (1-pound) package Creamettes lasagna, uncooked 1 lb bulk Italian sausage 1/2 lb ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, cut up UNDRAINED 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp basil leaves 1/2 tsp fennel seed 1/4 tsp pepper 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese 1 egg beaten 1 tbsp parsley flakes 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup sliced pitted ripe olives 4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese [recipe.jpg]
I've made lasagna MANY times, and I'm a pretty good cook, but this is the BEST lasagna I've ever made, hands down! Perfect texture and taste, none of that runniness some other recipes can leave behind. You don't have to be exact with any of the ingredients, but I would recommend sticking with the suggested amounts of the tomato ingredients and water for good sauce thickness. Definitely do the soaking of the noodles in hot water for 30 min as others have suggested, without the boiling. Not only is this way easier, but it produces perfectly al dente noodles when finished, none of the soggy stuff. Oh, and add only a little of the sugar and salt at a time, about 1/2 teaspoon, and taste. I ended up using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, but WAY WAY less than the listed 1 tablespoon of salt, probably only 1 teaspoon at most. Remember that you can always add more but it's almost impossible to reverse saltiness without diluting the whole thing, which can ruin a dish. I'm craving this now as I write...going to heat up some leftovers, YUM. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
In fact, not the worlds best, maybe the worlds worst. It took soooo long to make and not worth the wait.
Excellent recipe. If you can prepare the night before serving there is no need to cook the noodles or buy the expensive "no cook" noodles. Prepare as indicated useing a little extra sauce. Spread ricotta on hard lasagna noodle, as you would butter toast and place noodles in pan as indicated following recipe. Cover with foil once completed and refrigate overnight. Preparing this way also removes any excess water as noodles asorb all liquid. You may also freeze after the 10 hour refrigeration. No need to defrost when ready to cook just pop in oven.
Awesome! Made this for a house full on NYE. It got rave reviews. This will be the way I make lasagna and even home made sauce from now on. As per other reviewers I made a couple of changes. The sauces is very meat heavy so unless you want a 1/2 pound of meat per serving you should consider revise the amounts, or doubling the tomatoes, etc. I also think the recipe as is a little heavy on the fennel. The sausage I used was very tasty and already had a fair amount of fennel so unless you love the flavor go lightly the first time. Thanks for the great recipe! Now all my neighbors think my recent trip to Italy turned me into a great cook! ;)
I have to say this is the best lasagna recipe I've ever made. I usually alter this by adding an extra can of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. also, I add 1/2 red wine, 1/2 water, my preference and it gives it a zip. A little extra of the spices, but not too much. I just throw them in, don't measure. I always make 2 of them and a word to the wise, use one of the large lasagna pans you find in the supermarket, a regular 9x13 won't cut it, it will bubble over. I always put it on tin foil or a cookie sheet to prevent spills, but if i use a large extra deep lasagna pan, no problem!!! Great recipe, thanks so much. also i sometimes make it with 1/2 hot spicy sausage and 1/2 sweet italian sausage, just for a zip! Edit: I've made this dozens of times since my orig. review, and usually double the sauce, saving the extras for our "regular" pasta! Great stuff!
Lasagna was tasty, but really not that memorable at all. What IS all of this boasting about, anyway? World's best?? No way. Have tasted and even made more memorable versions of this.
Excellent recipe do not pass this one up! however a few changes need to be made....use 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Now a few changes I recommend you make, add a pinch of nutmeg to the ricotta mixture. use 3/4teaspoon of fennel (do not omit the fennel as other reviewers have suggested). I increased the ground meat to 1 1/4lbs as well. I used 1pound of sliced mozzarella cheese and 1 pound of shredded cheese with 8oz of the shredded cheese on the top layer and sprinkled the other 8oz on top of the sliced mozzarella. i also added 8oz of baby Bella mushrooms to the sauce the final 30minutes of simmering. i simmered this for 6 hours and did not cook the noodles, i simply put them in a pan of hot tap water for 20 minutes, they will not be cooked but will be fine once you bake it, plus the uncooked noodles will suck the some of the moisture out of the lasagna leaving it firm and amazing. I also used Romano cheese instead of Parmesan. also i highly recommended that you go to an Italian store an get your ingredients there, especially the Ricotta and your sauces (paste, sauce and crushed tomato). Let this lasagna sit in the refrigerator over night and then let it sit on the counter 1hour before you bake it. I baked it at 350 for 40minutes covered and 15minutes uncovered, then let it sit for 10 minutes before serving and it will come out amazing. Next time I might add some jalapeno or chipotle peppers to the sauce mixture for a little bit of a bite for personal taste.
The name of this lasagna speaks for itself. If this isnt worlds best.. i dont know what is! I had nothing but compliments. I followed the directions pretty much exactly EXCEPT for the fact that i was one can of tomato paste short, so i ommited the 1/2cup water as well. I always was told you NEVER put water in your tomato based sauce (??) We also do not like fennel so that didnt go in either. I was so pleased with the way this came out i will make it exactly the same way next time. I am also considering adding another layer (if it will fit)...5+ starts for sure! *TIP* Make the sauce a day in advanced if you can. You know how they say the sauce tastes better the next day? Its so true!
I've had much better lasagna before.It just tastes like meat & cheese.There's something missing.Obviosly with the thousands of reviews its just personal taste.The sauce is too thick for me.It makes it easy to cut &stay together but its like tomatoe paste.I liked the fennel seeds in it but I prefer cottage cheese to the ricotta.I wont make this again,it's too much work for the end result.I think if it had some celery and maybe some oregano it would be better.Also I would cut back on the tomato paste and add more sauce.
I haven't made this yet, but it seems very similar to the recipe I always used for my favorite lasagna, which remains the best I've tasted. All the suggestions seem very good, and I have one more: when a tomato recipe calls for sugar, substitute ground fresh carrots. This cuts the tartness of the tomatoes and is better for us. It's also a way to get more veggies into those picky kids of ours. I usually add much more ground carrot than the recipe originally called for, and it ends up being virtually undetectable. I make as much of this sauce as possible, and use part of the leftover sauce for spaghetti, a little of it goes into chili. After about the second day, if there's any left, the lasagna goes into the freezer. I love to make spaghetti & chili at the same time, or one after the other. When they are running low, I combine them into "Chili-ghetti" one of our favorites! BTW I was very glad to find this recipe. Thanx, John. My original recipe from Judy Johnson was lost long ago, and now I do it from memory, but it's really nice to have what I believe to be almost exactly the same recipe!
Very good,the longer the sauce cooks the better!! I made half with ricotta mixture and the other half with cottage cheese,eggs and mozzarella, just because my husband doesn't like ricotta, I took the left overs to the office and it was a hit! thanx for a good recipe
This really is one of the best lasagna's that I have had. But I found the sauce wasn't quite thick enough, so maybe next time I will use one can less of the tomato sauce or try adding more hamburger. The next day it seemed to have more of the flavour. I think if you leave it in the fridge over night before cooking it like another review had mentioned, then it would be even better! :) I will definetly make this recipe again.
I followed the directions exactly, except for the salt, and the flavor was sooooo bland!!!! I also cooked it in my crockpot for 6 hours, then made the lasagna as described by others and let it sit in the frig for 4 hours prior to cooking it. I
Nurseing home food is what this. I followed the recipe to a T and I was very dissapointed in the lack of flavor.If you have a weak stohmack and dull taste then this is for you.
This is the same recipe that I have been using for over 30 years. I first found it in an old McCall's cookbook. The only difference is this one calls for Italian seasoning and crush tomatoes where the other one called for no Italian seasoning and whole tomatoes. My family absolutely loves it! I usually make it for Christmas eve dinner. We have a salad, garlic bread, red wine and tiramisu for dessert. It is soooo good! The only thing I do different is add a little more mozzarella cheese than they have here. We are all cheese lovers. Your family and friends will go crazy for this recipe. I always make the sauce the day before and refrigerate overnight. This way the spices have set and the sauce is easier to handle, because it has cooled. Plus, you split the work up. A lot of work goes into making this lasagna, but it’s so worth it.
I really wanted to love this recipe. It wasn't terrible, but I think I had my hopes up with all the rave reviews. I followed the recipe exactly, but it really was rather bland. I'm not a huge fan of sweet sausage, so I'm sure that was part of the reason I didn't like this... I also think it could've used more cheese. I was going to give this recipe 2 stars, but after it sat in the fridge, the leftovers were better the next day so I'm giving it 3 stars. Will I make this again? Probably not. Sad to say, I am still looking for the "world's best" lasagna recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly - not as good as my mother's easy recipe (btw - she's Norwegian)
Huh. Well color me surprised. Maybe I'm the only one who can't make it work, but this lasagna tasted just like any other lasagna. If anything, it was worse. Oh well. I'll stick with an easier, less time consuming recipe.
Okay maybe after reading all the positive reviews my expectations were too high, but I wasn't impressed with this dish at all. Neither was my husband, sister, or friend whom I shared the lasagna with. Not horrible, but not the world's best either.
Excellent Recipe! Made this for a group of people yesterday and got 2 thumbs up. The only thing I would try next time is to cut down on the Italian sausage and use more ground beef.
I made this recipe for New Year's eve. It was very good. Everybody enjoyed it. Would definately make again. Doubled the recipe and turned out great.
Not the worlds best lasagna. When reviewing the ingredients i thought..wow this requires a lot of salt but added the required amount reluctantly.I was right..i suspect it should be 1 teaspoon and not 1 tablespoon. I could not eat it.
The only thing I did was add more ground meat and took out the sausage but nobody liked it! Think I'll go back to my old recipe.
I like the basics about this recipe: ingredients, directions, cooking time. I did modify the recipe a tad. My modifications made a truly delicious recipe, in my opinion. Here's what I have to say. 1. There is enough sauce to make two, 9X13 trays of lasagna. Double your noodles, cheeses and eggs. Go easy on the sauce when you're assembling to make sure you have just enough for two. 2. Do NOT add a tablespoon of salt to this recipe. Cheese has tons of sodium and there should be enough in the tomato sauces alone. I added one teaspoon of salt to my sauce last night, and awoke this morning parched after eating the lasagna for dinner. 3. DRAIN THE FAT OFF THE MEAT. . 4. Replace the water with red wine. This gives is a nice kick. 5. I nearly doubled all the spices. Seriously. I tasted the sauce mid-cooking, and it tasted too "tomatoey"... 6. I added oregano flakes (a good tablespoon or so). Basically, a great started recipe with a few modifications.
Made this several times over the years since i left a review. I have tried several other recipes and while they turned out good.. This one seems to get the best response.... I mixed the parmesean with the ricotta and parsley, otherwise i made as written. It gets top notch reviews...
I'm a vegetarian and a lot of times when I convert recipes meant for meat using veggie alternatives they are terrible. However, this recipe is an absolute knockout. Even with the veggie burger and veggie sausage replacement it is a winning recipe! Thank you!!!
I haven't made this but it sounds almost exactly like a recipe I've been making for 25 years. It an old McCall's Cooking School recipe I received in the mail. I make it in my regular Lasagne pan and my husband won't share with anybody. He will eat this stuff for days until it's all gone. Excellent recipe!
1st time I ever made lasagna AND had ricotta cheese! This recipe was great! I stuck to the recipe pretty true to word. 1) Yes, there's gonna be a lot of sauce leftover - serve your lasagna on top of a spread of sauce or use the sauce to dip french bread in! 2) Why doesn't anyone want to cook the noodles first?? My noodles did not turn out "soggy" as others have warned about cooking them first. 3) 1 1/2 hours of simmering the sauce - that's nothing. Go watch t.v., play Facebook. This is way better than having to wait overnight as others have suggested. The flavors are awesome as is. 4) A 9x13" pan was exactly what was needed for all the layering in the instructions. 5) One thing not mentioned in the original recipe, but I couldn't NOT do it . . . after you brown the beef with the onions and garlic . . . DRAIN the fat. 6) Ricotta cheese comes in 15 oz packages - good enough. 7) For pretty coloring - sprinkle the top of the lasagna before baking with some Marble Jack or Cheddar cheese.
Wasn't great. Tried the ricotta cheese, I think I prefer cottage cheese. Sauce seemed sweet with the tomato paste. I will stick with my mom's recipe next time.
I am a caterer and I have served this dish to over 500 people, all who have raved that this is the most amazing recipe for lasagna EVER!!! The recipe is incredible as is. PLEASE DO NOT OMIT THE FENNEL. It gives the dish the signature lasagna flavor. The only thing I do is add more crushed garlic and about 1/4 cup of Red Wine. I do let it simmer for 6 hours. If you can't watch the stove for that long, just use a crockpot on low. And, the flavors are enhanced if you allow it to rest overnight in the fridge. If you follow the directions, this is the last Lasagna recipe you will ever need.
For our taste, we didn't like the ricotta mixture and we prefer this sites "best marinara sauce yet."
This recipe is now one of my signature dishes with but a twist from "The Godfather." Instead of water, add a bit more sugar and 1/2 cup of red wine "and that's my trick," according to Peter "Fat Pete" Clemenza.
Not worth the trouble. This recipe is basically the traditional lasagna recipe you would find on a lasagna noodle box except it requires you make your own sauce which is very time consuming and not worth it with regards to taste in my opinion. Stick with something simpler
I did not think this was the world's best lasagna. I made this for the first time on New Year's Eve for a party at our home and we all agreed my typical recipe was better. We did enjoy some of the extra sauce over pasta the next day.
Best sauce ever, exactly following the directions. Am simmering right now. I agree with a previous reviewer who said she makes double the sauce to save for spaghetti and other pasta dishes. It is wonderful, and yes, I am using the fennel, first time ever. I did think 1 T salt was a bit much, but threw it in anyway, stirred well, and it works for me. I picked up Barilla no boil lasagna sheets, which comes in 9oz./16 pcs. I'm having to alter the layering a little to make 4 layers instead of 3. Tricky.. keep u posted. Ok, the lasagna came out great.. fantastic. I used the layering instructions from the back of the Barilla box. I am eating the sauce, yet again, on cavatappi.. also delicious. Anyway, the lasagna was so good that I can easily say, it'd hard to believe I made it and not some premade gourmet store bought lasagna. Next time, I'm going to experiment with doubling the ricotta. Since I made 4 layers due to the Barilla no bake noodles, the ricotta layers were thin. I know no other way than hearty food. The dish was decadent, and hubby loved it. Daughter, 11, said it's the best sauce I've ever made, and also loved the lasagna. Make this with confidence! One more thing, DO simmer the sauce for 90 minutes... it makes a big difference, and breaks down the meats nicely.. so tender when done. The fennel was also worth the price of addition to my spice rack... very fragrant. Simmer the sauce... makes a nice reddish brown when you use red wine instead of water, too.
So easy and my DH loves it! I also put the noodles in hot water while cooking the sauce instead of boiling them separate. Turns out just fine. Thanks for the great recipe!
World's best??? Really? That might be a stretch, but still, this is pretty good lasagna! Definitely worthy of a 5 star rating. Here are my suggestions... first, use the "no boil" lasagna noodles by Barilla. Much simpler, less work and just as tasty. Second, use FRESH basil and lots of it; it is WAY better than the dried. I skipped the fennel because I didn't have any on hand and we didn't miss it one bit. DEFINITELY let your sauce cook long, low and slow; I think mine was on the stove top at least 3 and a half hours. Also, spray your foil with "Pam" before covering your lasagna and the cheese will not stick to it when you pull the foil off. Other than those few suggestions, I followed it as written. Served it to company from out of town and it was well received by all. Will use this as my "go to" recipe from now on because it is OH SO GOOD!!!
Next time I will cook enough noodles to make 4 layers, there would have been enough sauce to make the 4th layer but there would not have been enough of the cheese mixtures.
Excellent and my husband and I both really like the sauce (that's unusual). I'll use that as my go to sauce from now on. I made the following adjustments based on the reviews and I couldn't be happier: - need a very deep dish, I got a throw away deep dish lasagna 13x9 pan - used the oven ready noodles and only needed 6 to cover the two layers - doubled the ricotta mix!! - added a dash or two of nutmeg to the ricotta mix - used a full pound of ground beef - used red wine instead of water - I don't have a dutch oven, just cooked it in a regular big pot for about 1.5 hrs and the tastes blended quickly - don't forget that if you are buying the italian sausage in links to take the meat out of the casings - didn't add any salt - 3 cloves of garlic (could have easily used 4)
This turned out quite good. My son always said my Lasagna was the best (similar to this but with ground beef). Then my children became vegetarian and my lasagna was made with vegetables--no meat. I didn't like my lasagna --too runny. So, this looked good. I went through all of the reviews, every one! What amazes me is the amount of salt. Every major health issue is affected by salt--weight, heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol --you name it. I thought it was a typo but it became clear that it wasn't. I am reminded of a TV program about health food that warned-- if it has the sugar reduced --salt is added. If sugar is reduced--salt is added. I use NO salt if I use any processed foods (ei., sausages, canned vegetables etc.) and in general cooking then only as much as 1/2 or 1 tsp. I tell my guests that I don't use salt so they can use their own discretion. Back to the recipe--I am very pleased with all the suggestions made--I used the pinch of nutmeg. I made it the day before and did no cooking other than to brown the meat, onions, and garlic.. put it together to sit in the fridge for 24 hours. I did not cook my noodles--they went from the box to the pan. I thought for sure I didn't have enough cheeses (wrong) I used all fresh herbs from my garden so increased the amount except for the fennel seeds which I think I would increase in the future or use anise as well. I ended up like so many others with about 2 cups of sauce left over. I w
It's worth the time, if anything, I really enjoyed making this. There's a lot of love in this recipe and you can taste it when it's finished. Perfect blend of ingredients. It would have been a shame if I didn't try this recipe! I didn't use as much water as the recipe called for.
I have made this SAME recipe for almost 30 years- nothing special about it, etc. EXACT Same ingredients, except for when i make it i add FRESH mozzarella cheese- and Parmesan and Reggiano cheese- FRESHLY grated of course..
I thought it was delicious! (My picky husband said "tastes like lasagna..." lol!). The only thing I changed was to use vegetarian sausage (and, of course, vegetarian cheeses!). Other than that, I followed the recipe and was happy with the way it turned out - and I don't think it took all that long! Thanks for posting this & keep 'em coming!
I've JUST made the homemade sauce and that within itself should have TEN STARS! I omitted the tablespoon of salt (just added a little sea salt as the saltiness increased as the sauce heated) added some oregano and about 6 Tablespoons of sugar total---yummy (I will NEVER buy a ready-made sauce for MY lasagna again!!) I assembled the lasagna and allowed it to marinate overnight and baked it when I got home from work today. !!DELICIOSO!! I also layered the dry noodles as directed and they cooked through just fine and had the right texture (sometimes they are too wet after boiling and it messes with all the great sauce you worked so hard to make!) Thanks John-I now have a new standard LASAGNA RECIPE! =)
still can't believe how long my boyfriend talked about how good this was. all the way through dinner and for a while after. I loved how much he loved it, and I loved it too. Using fresh herbs is key.
This was my third time making this lasagna recipe. Everytime is delicious. My family & friends love it. I do change a few things though. I use 4 noodles on each layer for a total of 3 layers in a 9.5x13.5 glass pan. I double the ricotta cheese mixture and use 1 pound of shredded mozzerella. I just eye ball how much parmesan cheese I want for each layer. You can taste the fennel seeds which give it good flavor but I wouldn't want to put in more than 1/2 tsp. The Italian sausage is a nice touch as well. I cut off the casing then brown it with the ground beef. I serve it with Ceasar salad and galic bread. Even though it is a bit time consuming it is definitely worth it. This is becoming a household regular. Thanks!
Ok, firstly I do have to say that I have searched long and hard over the years to find a lasagne recipe that would take mine from good to amazing!This recipe did just that! However.... if you add a whole TB of salt and 2TBs of sugar, like I did on my first attempt, you will probably be very sorry! I was! Especially all that salt, and I like salt, but even I couldn't cope with that much. I would also suggest doubling the Ricotta mixture. Though thats just me. I only simmer the meat for about 40 mins, and I also use the instant dried lasagne noodles as it speeds things up considerably. I have also used half sweet and half mild Italian sausage and once made it with half sweet and half hot. Its all wonderful. This recipe really has been the best lasagne recipe I have ever found. Oh, and use the fennel!!!!! I cut it down to just under 1/2 tsp, but I think it makes it! Remember to cut down on the salt considerably! What a great recipe though! Thank you!!! I am finally satisfied I have found THE lasagne recipe. I wont be looking any further:)
Made this last night and my entire family loved it! I have had a family lasagna recipe that was handed down to me that we all thought was the best - this was even better! The only thing I changed was I used only 15oz. Ricotta cheese because it is the size the manufacturer uses and added about 5oz. of cottage cheese with the egg. It was outstanding. Thank you for the recipe - I'd give it ********** if I could!
I was already a big fan of the sauce, so I figured I'd try the lasagna because I was having my mother in law over for dinner. What a great meal! It was very easy especially with "no boil" lasagna noodles - just layer, heat and eat!
This was pretty good, but I don't think it was much better than my lasagna that I throw together at the last minute. Not really worth the work for me.
Eh. I think the name, "World's Best Lasagna" is definitely an overstatement. This was not half as good as my mothers lasagna, and I've attempted this recipe twice. Once, following it to a T, the second time following other users suggestions, even letting it sit and meld in the fridge overnight. Sorry, John. This just didn't do it for me.
This is an AWESOME AWESOME recipe. I followed the recipe except for the sausage. I could not find sweet italian sausage so I used Jimmy Dean Sage sausage. It turned out wonderful! I did cut down on the salt to 1 teaspoon. 1 tablespoon seemed too much. I have a family of 6 and we used every bit of the meat sauce. I like lots of meat sauce in my lasagna and this gave the perfect amount. This sauce would be great for a homemade spaghetti sauce also. It is that great! Two thumbs up!!
This recipe was OK. I thought it required way too much work for the way it tasted. I'll stick with my own recipe for a while.
I thought it was very good love the sauce. My husband did not care much for this. He likes his much better. Hubby said he had the worse heartburn from this. I think it was the fennel.
My husband and I spent most of the night making this, and it was just OK. We followed the recipe exactly, and I would make a LOT of changes to it before trying it again. First, it was waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy too salty. Yuck! Second, I'd add more ricotta and spices, and probably more sugar. I'd also reduce the amount of beef or perhaps just stick with sausage. I may also add a box of frozen spinach to the ricotta mix. I'll play with this recipe, but I definitely won't make it again as-is. If this is traditional lasagna, I guess I'm just not a traditional kind of girl.
I made this as my very first lasagna for my family the other night. It came out better than expected and was totally awesome! Sage advice: Cut the salt completely. The salt from the cheese as well as the sausage is plenty salty for this dish and even though I included the tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon it didn't overpower it (although it was quite salty). If you love salt then by all means keep it in there but if you want to taste more of the lasagna (and have it be a bit healthier!) cut the salt out. Also double the ricotta cheese required if you like ricotta. It just wasn't quite enough for my taste so go with 24 oz of ricotta and two eggs instead of one. My family loves fennel so next time I will add 2 teaspoons of fennel instead of 1/2 teaspoon. I did substitute a block of romano for the parmesan as romano is just as good (if not better) at a third of the price. Next time I will try provolone instead of mozzarella. I'll post again with my results.
I have never made my own lasagna before and I was very excited to try this one. I recently had stomach surgery so I can't eat big chunks of meat so what I did was cook both the sausage and ground beef until browned and then put them into my food processor and then they came out with the texture of fine ground meat. My family raved about my meat sauce and said they had never had anything like that. It was SOOOO good! I recommend you don't try and grind up the meat until it is cooked, it will stick to the blade. Also I would not add the salt next time, this dish was too salty. I also would not add quite that much sausage. I would only add 1/2 pound sausage as it was salty due to too much sausage really. You can up the beef to 1 pound then. Those changes made, this is an ideal family homestyle recipe that I will now use as my own. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Great find!
Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW! I rarely rate recipes but this was too good not to! I made this for a dinner party for 10 I threw on Saturday night and it was the highlight of the evening! Everyone went nuts for it. The only thing I did differently was the Italian sausage - I left it out. Thank you for this recipe, it was killer!
I followed suggestions by others: soaking noodles, omitting salt, fresh basil, red wine, leaving out a can of tomato paste. It had NO taste. It was so bland and disappointing. Will never make again.
I was not crazy about this recipe at all!! I felt it had way too much of a sausage taste to it. My husband loved it though. Next time i make it i will definitely be leaving out the sausage and just add extra beef. I also left out the fennel seeds.
I wish there were more stars here! I am tired of soupy lasagna, and that's what I get everywhere I go! I hate it! However, I am DEFINATELY NOT a cook. But I love REAL, FIRM lasagna, and that's what I got here. For someone like me that can't cook, even this turned out great for me! After making it, I said "Wow! I am a cook!" haha! However, it was NOT MY recipe! I just followed the instructions (very easy, btw) and it turned out to be EXACTLY the way I like it!! Thx so much for your contribution!
Incredible! You won't have any leftovers. I used red wine (merlot) in place of the water. I will make this again and again, it has replaced my mom's lasagna recipe!
This is a wonderful sauce. I did however, add just a little bit more garlic than 2 cloves...like 3 heads more. And that was perfect. Fennel makes it. Don't leave it out.
This is the best Lasagna. As my husband put it, the flavors just scream out with every bite. I followed recipe exaclty and I would not change a thing. Thanks for this GREAT recipe.
I have made this lasagna twice now and it was WONDERFUL both times!! I also put less salt in there like most people did. I used brown sugar instead of white. Instead of water i added red wine. I didn't use the second can of sauce, i only added one 8 oz can. (i like my sauce to be more like sloppy joe meat as opposed to a thin sauce) I also just used 3-14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes (i got the ones with some garlic, basil and oregeno) *i drained the sauce from theses in to the pot, and chopped them even more, i dont like chuncks of tomato. I used fresh parm, motz, and also used the italian blend cheese you can get, premixed. Helps fill the corners nicely. :)I used the no-boil lasagna noodles and it cooked perfectly. I also used the HOT italian sausage instead of sweet. I like some heat to my meat sauce. I added a little bit of cayenne and red pepper flakes to the sauce as well. I forgot garlic cloves at the store so i just used the power, i also used 2 good sized shallots instead of an onion. I drained the meat when it was done cooking, it was just was way too greasy. While the meat was draining i cooked the shallots in the till soft. I used some fresh italian herbs- the stuff that comes in a tube in produce. I could barely fit it all in my 9X13 dish! I might get a deeper one if i can find one! Or just put less meat in the layers. It started over flowing to the bottom of my oven! I will always use this recipe when making lasagna, it is delishious and is worth the work.
I followed recipe exactly and it was edible but far from world's best. My boyfriend agreed.
This is the best lasgna recipe ever. The original is out of the McCall's Cooking School magazine from September 1972. It's become a traditional family favorite in our house every Christmas.
This is comfort food at its best! I made it for my mom's birthday party, and the entire family loved it - it's a very hearty and satisfying dish. Everyone kept having seconds! We did have extra sauce leftover when we were finished assembling it - we'll have that served over pasta tomorrow night. I did reduce the salt by half as other reviewers suggested and did not miss it one bit. Next time I'll add some mushrooms to the sauce mixture. I did turn the oven on broil for the last minute of cooking time - just enough to get the cheese on top bubbling. This recipe is a definite keeper!
The name says it all! This was amazing. ( The only thing I omitted was the salt, there is enough in the cheeses and italian sausage.) I followed the recipe as written and honestly would not change a thing! This recipe makes a very large lasagna. I brought leftovers into work and everyone loved it. My picky son said this was the best he's ever had! Thanks so much for sharing. This is definately a keeper!
Oh my god this was absolutely amazing! I try to be unbiased about my cooking but even I couldn't stifle the "mmmm, oh my god this is sooooo good" comment after the first bite. My S.O. loved it and couldn't stop raving about the dish. I made some changes as provided by others. I used 1/ 1/4 lb beef, 1 whole medium onion, 6-8 cloves of garlic, substituted chicken stock for the water, omitted salt, used 1/2 cup of fresh basil, omitted fennel since the sausage had fennel in it, 9 lasagna noodles soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, added a dash of nutmeg to the ricotta (next time I might add 2 dashes), used 2 teaspoons of italian seasoning, and made the sauce and ricotta mixture the day before cooking it. I did simmer the sauce for 3 hours but next time I'll probably reduce the time to 1-2 hours. I used a larger pan than the 9X13 to avoid overflow and I'm so glad I did. To assemble lasagna, spread meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan or a slightly bigger one to avoid overflow. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese slices and then Parmesan cheese. Second layer is meat sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, and Parmesan cheese. Third layer is meat sauce, noodles, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. The lasagna fed us for 3 dinners with sauce for 2 dinners between 2 people! 5 days worth of food - not a bad investment at all. Next time I'll double the sauce and freeze the rest for a quick dinner during a hectic week/weekend.
very good. I doubled the sauce and tripled the meat, Using 2 lbs hamburger and 3 pounds italian sausage (two hot, one sweet) doubled the ricotta mixture (my fav part) and didn't boil the noodles but just soaked them in hot water for 30 mins and let them cook in the lasagna. Let it cool for 30 mins before serving. My hubby, brother-in-law, father-in-law and both sons loved it. I had enough sauce left to freeze and use for a quick spaghetti night later in the week. :-)
this was ok, I have a better recipe! and was kinda disappointed because of all the reviews. oh well... one thing i learned is you don't need to cook the noodles.
Way to salty! I almost left out the tablespoon of salt, I knew better. It was so salty it was unedible. We ordered pizza. What a waste of money.
Instead of boiling the noodles, Try the BARILLA no boil lasagna noodles. They are imported from Italy, there are enough noodles to make 4 layers and made this recipe truly the World's best!! Skip the Tablespoon of salt and use CENTO brand crushed tomatoes, paste and sauce. Cento brand makes all the difference in the flavor of the sauce. Buon Appetito !!
