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+ servings

Sausage, Cheese, and Basil Lasagna

Epicurious
Sausage, Cheese, and Basil Lasagna is a mouthwatering twist on the classic Italian dish, featuring layers of lasagna noodles, savory Polidori sausage, creamy cheeses, and aromatic basil. This hearty and indulgent lasagna offers a delightful blend of flavors and textures, making it a comforting and satisfying meal for any occasion.
20 minutes 1 hour 1 hour 20 minutes
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Ingredients:

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound Polidori Hot Italian Sausage casings removed
  • 1 cup Onion chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper crushed
  • crushed tomatoes with added puree 1 28-ounce can
  • diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion 1 14 1/2-ounce can, undrained

Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups Fresh Basil leaves packed
  • 3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese packed, grated
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Assembly

  • 12 lasagna noodles no-boil, from one 8-ounce package
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese grated
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Directions:
  • Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)
  • Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.
  • Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.