Recipe Background
This lasagna combines beef, marinara, and ravioli for a comforting, make-ahead dish.
The first time I crafted this lasagna was on a rainy afternoon back when I had just moved into my new city apartment. It was the classic mix of excitement and chaos that comes with settling into a new space, surrounded by unopened boxes and the unfamiliar hum of a different neighborhood. My kitchen supplies consisted mostly of non-perishables I’d hauled from the old place, including a trusty jar of marinara and a packet of ravioli from the freezer aisle. I realized quickly that this would have to be a meal born of improvisation and whatever I could find within arm's reach. As I crumbled the ground beef with one hand and glanced around for the garlic powder, I felt a satisfying sense of independence.
I’d always loved the cozy taste of lasagna but had never quite managed to make it without feeling overwhelmed by its layers. Yet that day, with a dash of determination and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan, something magical happened. I stirred the simmering beef with the marinara until its warmth filled the room, and before long, the layers came together almost effortlessly. A clever tip I picked up along the way was to let the lasagna rest once out of the oven to ensure those clean, patient slices—a trick I now swear by. Each bite was layered with flavor and memories of this brave new step in my life.
What started as a simple attempt to feed myself turned into a comforting reminder of home, with the added charm of being dangerously addictive. Every time I recreate this lasagna, there's a wink of gratitude for the chance to relive that youthful thrill of starting afresh, dish by dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (32-ounce) jar marinara
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (16-ounce) package whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, divided
- 1/4 cup basil freshly chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen cheese ravioli
- 2 cups mozzarella shredded
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef, the onions, the salt, and the black pepper and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft, about 7-10 minutes.
- Drain the excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the marinara and the garlic to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow the beef mixture to simmer until the flavors meld together, about 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add the ricotta, the egg, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of the basil, the garlic powder, the salt, and the black pepper and stir to combine.
- In the prepared baking dish, evenly spread 1/3 of the meat sauce mixture.
- Top the meat sauce layer in the baking dish with 1/2 of the raviolis in a single layer.
- Top the ravioli layer with 1/2 of the remaining meat sauce, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella, and 1/2 of the remaining parmesan.
- Repeat the layers using the remaining raviolis, the remaining meat sauce, the remaining ricotta mixture, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining parmesan.
- Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
- Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake until the lasagna is golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
- Serve garnished with the extra basil.
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