Meatball Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

Homemade Tomato Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 can tomato paste (6-ounce)
• 0.5 cup chianti (optional)
• 3 cans crushed tomatoes (28-ounce)
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh oregano
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper
• 0.5 cup fresh chopped basil

Italian Meatballs

• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 cup heavy cream or milk
• 2 eggs
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup grated onion
• 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
• 1 pound ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat)
• 1 pound ground pork

Meatball Lasagna

• 1 pound dried lasagna noodles
• 30 ounces ricotta
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 0.5 cup fresh chopped basil
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 cups shredded mozzarella
• 6 cups crumbled meatballs
• 4 cups tomato sauce
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Homemade Tomato Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
3. Pour in chianti if using, and let it simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and bay leaves. Stir well.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
6. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil near the end of cooking.

Italian Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs with heavy cream and let sit for 5 minutes to absorb.
3. Add eggs, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, grated onion, and parsley. Mix well.
4. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and anchovy paste if using.
5. Add ground beef and ground pork, mixing gently with your hands until just combined.
6. Form into 1.5 to 2-inch meatballs and place on rimmed baking sheets.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
8. Cool slightly, then crumble into the cooked tomato sauce. Stir gently to combine.

Meatball Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta with beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, fresh basil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread a thin layer of meatball-tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
5. Layer noodles, then spread ricotta mixture, sprinkle mozzarella, then top with meatball sauce. Repeat layers.
6. End with a final layer of noodles topped with remaining mozzarella and meatball sauce.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

• Use good quality tomatoes for the best sauce flavor.
• Bread crumbs should be torn from white sandwich bread with no crust.
• The mozzarella should be freshly shredded for best melting.
• This dish is perfect served with crusty garlic bread and a bottle of Chianti.