Vetted Recipes

Best Recipe for Lasagna with Basil and Fennel

Ingredients

  • 1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated (about 4 cups packed)
  • 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 2 1.5-ounce packets spaghetti sauce seasoning with mushroom flavors
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
  • 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 9 no-boil lasagna noodles (from one 8-ounce package)
  • 2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add beef; sauté 10 minutes, breaking up meat with fork. Mix in seasoning, then tomatoes, broth and wine. Cover and simmer 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper.
  2. Spoon 1 1/3 cups sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over. Top with half of basil leaves, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue layering with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Finish with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (reserve remaining sauce for another use). Cover with foil; place on baking sheet.
  3. Bake lasagna until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; let stand 15 minutes. Cut lasagna into squares.

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