Description
Hearty lasagna meatloaf combines classic Italian flavors with comforting American cuisine. Layers of seasoned ground beef, cheese, and pasta create a satisfying main dish you’ll want to serve at family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef (20% fat)
- 1 lb (454 g) ground turkey (pork optional)
- 6 full lasagna noodles
- 1 cup (237 ml) mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup (177 ml) ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup (177 ml) panko breadcrumbs
- 14 oz (397 g) crushed tomatoes
- 3 oz (85 g) tomato paste
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (59 ml) honey
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tsps Italian seasoning
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preparation: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and heat oven to 425°F (218°C) for optimal cooking conditions.
- Meat Mixture: Blend ground meat with breadcrumbs, eggs, herbs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, ensuring uniform seasoning and texture.
- Noodle Preparation: Briefly boil lasagna noodles in salted water until pliable, then drain and pat dry to maintain structural integrity.
- Initial Layering: Construct the first layer on the parchment sheet, positioning lasagna noodles as the foundation, topped with seasoned meat mixture, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese.
- Continued Construction: Build subsequent layers, alternating noodles, meat, and cheeses, culminating with a meat layer to form a cohesive rectangular loaf.
- Primary Baking: Slide the assembled loaf into the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes, allowing ingredients to meld and meat to cook thoroughly.
- Sauce Creation: Sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil until aromatic, then incorporate tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and honey.
- Sauce Development: Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes, developing a rich, complex flavor profile.
- Sauce Application: Remove loaf from oven, generously coat with prepared tomato sauce, then return to oven.
- Final Baking: Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes, allowing sauce to caramelize and flavors to intensify.
- Resting Period: Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes, enabling layers to set and facilitating clean slicing.
- Serving: Slice into generous portions, optionally garnishing with fresh herbs for added visual appeal and flavor.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Mixture: Mix ground meat gently to prevent tough texture, using light hand movements to keep meat tender and juicy.
- Noodle Preparation Tip: Slightly undercook lasagna noodles to prevent soggy layers, ensuring they maintain structural integrity during baking.
- Moisture Management: Pat noodles thoroughly dry to avoid excess liquid that could make the meatloaf soggy or fall apart.
- Flavor Layering Technique: Create even distribution of ingredients in each layer to guarantee consistent taste and texture in every bite.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 357
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 589 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg