Million Dollar Italian Lasagna

Ingredients:

For the Meat Sauce:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Cheese Filling:

• 16 oz ricotta cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Layers:

• 12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven-ready)
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Additional Parmesan for topping

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Meat Sauce:
   In a large skillet or pot, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
   Add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
   Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
   Add the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
   Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10–15 minutes.
2. Make the Million Dollar Cheese Mixture:
   In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, sour cream, egg, Parmesan, and parsley.
   Mix until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the Lasagna Noodles:
   If using regular noodles, cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
   (Skip this step if using oven-ready noodles.)
4. Assemble the Lasagna:
   Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
   Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
   Spread a generous layer of the cheese mixture over the noodles.
   Add a layer of meat sauce.
   Sprinkle with mozzarella.
   Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with sauce and mozzarella on top.
   Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.
5. Bake:
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Cover the dish with foil (tented so it does not touch the cheese) and bake for 30 minutes.
   Remove foil and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
6. Rest and Serve:
   Allow the lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This helps it set and slice cleanly.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 10 servings