90 minutes prep + 45 minutes bake time
Serves 10
Ingredients:
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 45 oz jar marinara sauce (We like Barilla!)
1 32 oz.container skim milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. basil (fresh or dried)
2 pounds grated mozzarella cheese
1 12 oz. package lasagna noodles
Cooking spray
Make Dinner:
Brown Italian sausage in a large frying pan over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain and set aside. Heat marinara sauce in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add sausage and simmer for 10 minutes.
While sauce is cooking, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, garlic salt, onion powder, oregano and basil in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of sauce evenly over bottom of pan. Layer sauce with uncooked lasagna noodles in a single layer. Distribute 3/4 cup ricotta cheese mixture evenly over pasta in dollops. Pour 3/4 cup sauce over ricotta dollops and use a spatula to spread ricotta and sauce evenly over pasta. Top evenly with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Place another single layer of pasta over cheese. Again, dollop 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture over pasta. Top with 3/4 cup sauce and spread ricotta and sauce evenly. Top with another 3/4 cup mozzarella. Continue to layer pasta, ricotta, sauce and cheese in that order until 3-4 layers of lasagna have been built. Complete the dish with a final layer of mozzarella cheese. Top with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 1 hour. This will allow time for the pasta to soften. (Chef's Note: This is a great make ahead as it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake lasagna covered with foil for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with a crisp green salad.