Instructions
Prepare the Meat Sauce
- Brown the meats. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage until fully browned, breaking them into small pieces as they cook. Drain any excess fat for a cleaner, richer finished sauce.
- Season and simmer. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly.
Prepare the Cheese Mixture
- Combine cheeses. In a large mixing bowl, add the ricotta, cottage cheese, softened cream cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan, and eggs. Mix until the texture becomes smooth and creamy. The softened cream cheese helps this mixture spread easily over the noodles without pulling them out of place.
Assemble the Lasagna
- Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and make serving easier.
- Begin layering. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce across the bottom of the dish. This prevents the noodles from sticking and ensures the first layer cooks evenly.
- Add noodles. Lay a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce. Slight overlapping is fine; the noodles will expand slightly as they bake.
- Spread the cheese mixture. Spoon a generous layer of the cheese mixture over the noodles, smoothing it from edge to edge. This creamy layer helps give the lasagna its “million dollar” richness.
- Repeat layers. Add another layer of meat sauce over the cheese, followed by more noodles, then more cheese, repeating until all ingredients are used. End with a final layer of meat sauce on top.
- Top with mozzarella. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella evenly across the top layer for a bubbling, melted finish.
Bake
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