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A single square of Olive Garden lasagna on a white plate with parsley on top

Olive Garden Lasagna Classico

A copycat Olive Garden lasagna with a thick beef and Italian sausage sauce, whole-milk ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano stacked in four tall layers and baked until the edges bubble. It cuts into upright squares that hold their shape on the plate.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 squares
Author Nayla
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Ingredients
 

Meat Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground beef 85 percent lean
  • 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed, mild or hot
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes one large can
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano divided
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried
  • 1 tsp salt plus black pepper to taste

Ricotta Filling

  • 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta one tub, drained if wet
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten

Noodles and Cheese

  • 12 lasagna noodles regular, not oven-ready
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded from a low-moisture block
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, divided
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated, optional
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for the top

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • Large skillet
  • Saucepan
  • Mixing bowls
  • Aluminum foil

Instructions
 

Make the Meat Sauce

  1. Heat the oven and soften the onion. Set the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the red onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
    Diced red onion softening in olive oil in a dark pot
  2. Tip in the meats. Put the ground beef and the sausage into the pot and break them up with a wooden spoon.
    Raw ground beef and sausage tipped from a bowl into the pot of onion
  3. Brown them. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until no pink remains and browned bits have formed on the bottom of the pot. Spoon off all but a couple of tablespoons of fat, then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 1 minute.
    The beef and sausage browned and broken up in the pot
  4. Simmer the sauce. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano, the salt and a good grind of pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot clean and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until thick enough that a spoon dragged across the pot leaves a trail. Stir in the basil for the last 5 minutes.

Noodles and Filling

  1. Boil the noodles. While the sauce simmers, boil the noodles in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain and lay them flat on a clean towel so they do not stick together.
  2. Mix the filling. Whisk the ricotta with the egg, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, half the Parmesan and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Layer the Lasagna

  1. Start the layers. Spread a thin smear of the ricotta filling over the base of the dish and lay 3 noodles side by side on top. Spread a quarter of the remaining filling over the noodles.
    Ricotta filling spread over three flat noodles in the glass dish
  2. Add the sauce. Spoon a quarter of the meat sauce over the ricotta and spread it to the edges.
    Meat sauce spooned from a bowl over the ricotta-coated noodles
  3. Cheese, then repeat. Scatter over a handful of mozzarella and a spoonful of Parmesan or Romano. Repeat noodles, ricotta, sauce and cheese three more times, finishing the top with a thin coat of sauce, the last of the mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan.
    Shredded mozzarella scattered over the layer of meat sauce

Bake and Rest

  1. Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, until the edges bubble hard and the top is browned in patches.
  2. Rest and serve. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes so the layers set, then scatter the parsley over and cut it into 8 squares.

Notes

Make ahead: assemble up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate unbaked. Bake from cold with the foil on for 40 minutes instead of 25, then uncovered for 15. The sauce keeps 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months frozen.
Storage: cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 3 to 4 days, or wrap squares individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Substitutions: two pounds of beef with a teaspoon of fennel seed in place of the sausage; drained small-curd cottage cheese for the ricotta; oven-ready noodles if you add a cup of water to the sauce, use nine noodles and keep the foil on for 35 minutes.
Doneness: bubbling all the way around the edges and 165°F in the center. Rest 15 minutes before cutting or the layers slide.
Nutrition values are an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1380mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 620mg | Iron: 5mg
Nayla
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