Name: The Best Simple Southern Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound italian sausage; 1 medium onion ((diced)); 3 cloves garlic; 2 14.5 ounce cans tomato sauce; 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes; 1 6 ounce can tomato paste; 2 teaspoons dried basil; 3 teaspoons dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups cottage cheese; 24 ounce shredded italian style cheese ((seperated for the recipe)); 2 tablespoons dried parsley; 9 oven ready lasagna noodles

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Indulge in layers of cheesy goodness with this delicious Southern lasagna recipe that is bursting with flavor from the homemade Italian sausage and ground beef sauce to the cheesy layers and tender noodles.

This old fashioned southern lasagna recipe is sure to become a family favorite. It is packed with flavor and even though it takes a bit of time to make for the most part it is a hands off recipe other than assembling the lasagna. The recipe consists of a lot of hands off time allowing the sauce to simmer and allowing the lasagna to bake making it perfect for a special weeknight dinner or for a weekend dinner.

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Up close picture of lasagna on a white plate with a spatula underneath.

Equipment

9×13 inch baking dish – Is the perfect size baking dish for this lasagna recipe. It is long enough to fit the lasagna noodles while also being deep enough to contain all the delicious layers.

A full list of equipment can be found in the recipe card below.

Ingredients

Italian sausage – You can use any Italian sausage you wish. I usually use a basic Italian sausage or a mild Italian sausage. If your family likes heat you can opt for a hot Italian sausage.
Cottage cheese – Is layered between the lasagna noodles to add flavor to the Southern Italian lasagna dish. If you are not a fan of cottage cheese you can substitute with ricotta cheese instead to create a ricotta cheese mixture instead of cottage cheese.
Italian cheese blend – I find that the Italian cheese blend is the perfect convenient option to make this lasagna. In the one cheese blend it has mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, parmesan cheese, romano cheese, fontina cheese, and asiago cheese giving the lasagna the perfect Italian cheese flavor without having to spend $30 on cheese to achieve the same flavor.

A full list of ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make the Best Southern Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. In a large saucepan cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until the ground beef and sausage is fully cooked. (Drain any excess grease.)

3. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Mix until thoroughly combined.

4. Add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until all the spices are well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil. When it begins to boil lower the heat and allow it to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the sauce has reached the desired thickness. The longer you let it simmer the thicker it will get and more flavorful.

5. In a mixing bowl combine the cottage cheese, eggs, 8 ounces of the Italian blend cheese, and the parsley.

6. In a 9×13 baking dish add a 1/4 of the meat sauce. Spread it out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Next, add 3 lasagna noodles. Then spread the 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of the lasagna noodles. Lastly, add 1/3 of the shredded Italian blend cheese. (Save 1/3 of the Italian blend cheese to add to the top of the lasagna.

7. Repeat step 5 two more times ending with the meat sauce and topping with 1/3 of the Italian blend cheese.

8. Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. If you want the cheese on top to brown more you can broil for a few minutes.

9. Allow the lasagna to cool for 10 – 15 minutes before serving. Allowing it to rest will allow the lasagna to set up properly making it firmer and easier to serve.

Slice of lasagna on a plate with a spatula with a pan of lasagna in the background.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If stored properly the lasagna should last 3-4 days.

Reheating

Oven

Place the lasagna in an oven safe dish and place in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 250°F and allow the lasagna to slowly warm with the oven for 30 minutes or until it is heated all the way through.

Microwave

Place the lasagna in a microwave safe dish and heat up in 30 second intervals until it is heated all the way through.

If you try this recipe I would love it if you left a star rating below or a written review. I love hearing your feedback!

FAQs

Can I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese in lasagna?

Yes, you can substitute ricotta cheese 1 for 1 with cottage cheese in any lasagna recipe to get a ricotta cheese mixture for lasagna.

Is lasagna better with ricotta cheese or cottage cheese?

It is all based on preference. I prefer the taste and texture of cottage cheese but if you like a creamy cheese texture in your lasagna you may prefer ricotta.

Can I use ground beef instead of ground sausage in lasagna?

Absolutely! Most people prefer a mixture of ground beef and Italian sausage to get the flavor of Italian sausage without the over powering flavor. If you don’t like Italian sausage you can totally omit the sausage and substitute with ground beef.

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The Best Simple Southern Lasagna Recipe

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Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Resting Time: 15

Total Time: 1 45

Yield: slices

Calories: 392kcal

Cost: $18

Equipment

9×13 baking dish
Large sauce pan
Mixing bowl
Measuring cup and spoons
Spatula

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 pound italian sausage
1 medium onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic
2 14.5 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil
3 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cottage cheese
24 ounce shredded italian style cheese (seperated for the recipe)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
9 oven ready lasagna noodles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F
In a large saucepan cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until the ground beef and sausage is fully cooked. (Drain any excess grease.)
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until all the spices are well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil. When it begins to boil lower the heat and allow it to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the sauce has reached the desired thickness. The longer you let it simmer the thicker it will get and more flavorful.
In a mixing bowl combine the cottage cheese, eggs, 8 ounces of the Italian blend cheese, and the parsley.
In a 9×13 baking dish add a 1/4 of the meat sauce. Spread it out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Next, add 3 lasagna noodles. Then spread the 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of the lasagna noodles. Lastly, add 1/3 of the shredded Italian blend cheese. (Save 1/3 of the Italian blend cheese to add to the top of the lasagna.
Repeat step 5 two more times ending with the meat sauce and topping with 1/3 of the Italian blend cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. If you want the cheese on top to brown more you can broil for a few minutes.
Allow the lasagna to cool for 10 – 15 minutes before serving. Allowing it to rest will allow the lasagna to set up properly making it firmer and easier to serve.