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Lasagna, beef and veggie variants

Verdict: Very good, if you need to avoid pork.

Beef: deep 9x13, 12 slices · Veggie: 8x8, 6 slices · Source: Dinner then Dessert's Ultimate Meat Lasagna and Quick & Easy Marinara

Both variants use the same marinara, spice profile and layering. Neither has pork, chicken or mushrooms.

Marinara for both

Makes about 12 cups: 8 for the beef variant, 4 for the veggie.

  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 9 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
  • 1½ cups water
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper
  1. In a large pot over medium-low, cook the onion in ¾ cup olive oil until it just starts to brown. Add 9 minced garlic cloves and cook about 15 seconds.
  2. Add the 3 cans tomatoes, 3 cans paste, the oregano, basil, salt, sugar, red pepper and 1½ cups water. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Variant 1: beef, deep 9x13

  • 2 lb lean ground beef
  • Spice mix: 2 tsp dried basil, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp cracked fennel seeds, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp crushed red pepper, 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 cups marinara
  • Béchamel: 4 tbsp butter, 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, 3 cups whole milk, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • ½ lb provolone, sliced
  • 1 lb mozzarella, sliced
  • 1¼ cups grated Parmesan
  • 20 no-boil lasagna sheets
  1. In a pot of 5 quarts or more over medium-high, add the 2 lb beef as one slab and leave it 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom browns. Break it into large chunks and brown them.
  2. Add the spice mix and stir about 1 minute, until the fennel smells toasted. Don't drain; spoon off fat only if it pools.
  3. Stir in 8 cups marinara. Taste.
  4. Heat the oven to 375°F. Béchamel: melt 4 tbsp butter over medium, whisk in 4 tbsp flour and cook about 1 minute without browning. Slowly whisk in 3 cups milk and simmer about 10 minutes, whisking often, until it coats a spoon. Off the heat, stir in ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ½ tsp nutmeg and ¼ cup Parmesan.
  5. Assemble, dipping each sheet in the meat sauce first. Bottom: 2 cups meat sauce, then 5 sheets. Three filling layers, each: a third of the provolone, 2 cups meat sauce, 4 oz mozzarella, 1/3 cup Parmesan, 1 cup béchamel, 5 sheets. Top: 1 cup meat sauce, 4 oz mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan.
  6. Cover with foil, set on a sheet pan and bake at least 45 minutes, to 165°F in the centre. Allow 10 to 15 minutes more when both pans share the oven. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Variant 2: veggie, 8x8

  • 12 oz Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Spice mix: 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp cracked fennel seeds, 1½ tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
  • Up to ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 cups marinara
  • Ricotta mix: 15 oz ricotta, 1 egg, ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ lb provolone, sliced
  • ½ lb mozzarella, sliced
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • 12 no-boil lasagna sheets
  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Cook the 12 oz crumbles until browned in spots. Add the spice mix and stir until fragrant.
  2. Add 4 cups marinara and simmer 5 minutes. Taste, then add up to ½ tsp salt.
  3. Stir together 15 oz ricotta, 1 egg and ½ tsp salt.
  4. Assemble, dipping each sheet in the sauce first. Bottom: 1 cup sauce, then 3 sheets broken to fit. Three filling layers, each: a third of the provolone, 1 cup sauce, 2 oz mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, a third of the ricotta mix (about 2/3 cup), 3 sheets. Top: 1 cup sauce, 2 oz mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan.
  5. Cover with foil, set on a sheet pan and bake at 375°F. Check the centre at about 35 minutes; it is done at 165°F. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Make-ahead and reheat

  • Cool 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate. Lasagna is best not super fresh anyway.
  • Reheat covered at 350°F until the centre is hot, about 45 to 60 minutes for the beef pan and less for the veggie. Uncover for the last 10 minutes.
  • Rest 10 to 15 minutes and garnish with ¼ cup chopped parsley.

Notes

  • What changed from the original: 1 tbsp cracked fennel seed in place of ½ tsp, water in place of chicken broth, 2 cups of sauce per layer in place of 1½ plus sauce on top, undrained beef, more cheese, and paprika, pepper and garlic powder for a sausage flavour without pork.
  • The béchamel is Real Food with Sarah's.
  • All-ricotta beef pan: swap the béchamel for 24 oz ricotta, 1 egg and ½ tsp salt, a heaping cup per layer, and put ½ cup Parmesan on top.
  • Making one variant only: the beef pan takes two-thirds of the marinara (2 cans of tomatoes), the veggie pan one-third (1 can).
  • Keep a jar of vegetarian marinara as backup in case the veggie sauce runs short.