Description
This Ultimate Million Dollar Creamy Beef Lasagna features seven irresistible layers of rich and flavorful ingredients, combining savory ground beef, creamy cheese blends, and tender lasagna noodles baked to perfection. A perfect comfort food dish for family dinners or special occasions, delivering a deliciously cheesy and hearty meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 24 oz marinara sauce
Cheese Mixture
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Other
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prepare for assembling the lasagna.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Then add the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Cook beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet, seasoning it with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Cook the beef until it’s fully browned, then drain excess fat from the skillet.
- Simmer sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce to the cooked beef mixture. Let it simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors, then remove from heat.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, softened cream cheese, sour cream, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble layers: Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce at the bottom of the greased baking dish. Layer with cooked lasagna noodles, then spread the creamy cheese mixture over the noodles. Add more meat sauce on top. Repeat these layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of meat sauce.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the lasagna to cook through.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is bubbly and lightly golden for a perfect finish.
- Rest and serve: Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes after baking to set before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Make sure to cook the lasagna noodles al dente so they hold their shape well during baking.
- Draining excess fat from the cooked beef will prevent the lasagna from becoming greasy.
- You can use fresh parsley or dried parsley, but fresh provides the best flavor.
- Allowing the lasagna to rest after baking improves slicing and presentation.
- Feel free to customize the cheese blend by adding or substituting with other cheeses like provolone or fontina.
