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Meatball Lasagna has layers of homemade Italian meatballs with sauce and ricotta with Parmesan.  It assembles quickly with precooked meatballs, a jar of sauce, and noodles.

I made this meatball lasagna for another event at least a year ago. I didn’t quite get my act together and have it ready for the event. So, I shared another meatball recipe for the event. Which means I have the recipe and post to share for you today for this comfort food recipe event.

When I think of comfort food, I always think of lasagna. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but they used to call me Garfield. And not because of the president. Because of the cartoon character that is famous for eating lasagna.

For every birthday for as long as I can remember, I’ve always asked for lasagna for dinner. It’s the one and only thing that I wanted for my special birthday dinner. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s layers of meat and cheese and noodles all baked together in deliciousness.

What is lasagna?

I feel like this is a pretty basic question because most of us know what lasagna is. But maybe there are some people in another country reading this post that might now really know what lasagna is. At the most basic of definitions, lasagna is stacked noodles with alternating layers of ragu or meat sauce, vegetables, cheese, and occasionally béchamel sauce.

Of course, it can come in any range of sizes with a variety of fillings. I have made white Bolognese lasagna which was my fave so far. On the blog is an easy lasagna recipe and a taco lasagna recipe. There’s even an organic ratatouille lasagna that even has organic wine in the sauce. I think there’s even dessert lasagna out there. Though I haven’t ventured that far yet.

Who invented lasagna?

The Romans. Basically. Lagana, as it was called back there, consisted of thin sheets of dough cut into rectangles that were baked or fire cooked. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages was the dough boiled. Lasagna being one of the most popular results of this cooking method. Cheese is finally part of the dish in the late 1200s and eggs were added to the recipe in the Renaissance.

But it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that tomatoes came into play. Though we cannot know for sure where exactly, the theory is Napoli. This version has the layers of meat, pasta, and cheese that we’re used to seeing today. Then another theory has it from the Emilia Romagna region. It has ragu and bechemel along with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese which is famous in that region.

Finally, the father of the modern-day Bolognese, Francesco Zambrini, created his own version which is more like our typical lasagna we eat today. It has the layers of meat sauce, pasta, and cheese that we are all used to seeing. And I am so very much in love with eating.

What are some tips to make a good lasagna?

First and foremost, do not overcook the noodles. You want them to be al dente because they will continue to cook in the sauce in the pan. I make mine a little less than al dente to ensure they aren’t completely soggy when the lasagna comes out of the oven.

Yes, it makes them a sticky, but it’s worth it. To compensate for that spread the noodles out on an oiled baking sheet and layer them between parchment. This also takes a little bit of time. But it will make assembly that much quicker. You won’t need to untangle them from the strainer.

Always put sauce in the bottom of your pan. Do not start with noodles because they will only stick to the pan. Consider if the first of many layers. And when making your layers consider making more thinner layers than a few thicker layers. Between 5 and 10 is optimal.

Add eggs to your ricotta. If you don’t the ricotta will dry out. I have always put an egg with my ricotta. I thought it allowed the ricotta to spread onto the noodles. Come to find out, it’s to keep the ricotta from drying out. Little did I know! I also make sure to add some seasoning to the ricotta. Not that ricotta itself isn’t delicious but adding just a little bit of flavor really makes it stand out on its own.

Finally, make sure to cover your lasagna initially. Aim for at least half the baking time, but I go for 3/4 of the baking time. This ensures that the less than al dente noodles are cooked through. It also keeps the lasagna from drying out prematurely.

How long do you let lasagna rest?

I let mine rest for between 20 to 30 minutes. This allows everything to cool off and soak in a little more. It also allows for all the ingredients to really come together. This helps prevent a sloppy mess when slicing and serving. Because no one wants to have a sloppy mess when they’re slicing up lasagna.

What does meatball lasagna taste like?

It really does depend on your meatballs. I haven’t nailed a great Italian meatball recipe. It’s always a work in progress. Same thing with meatloaf. There’s always too much of something in there. Usually, it’s garlic or Italian seasoning. And then why is my meatloaf always Italian seasoned?

Once you’ve nailed the meatballs, then there’s the sauce. You could easily use a jarred marinara, which did for this recipe. But you could make a delicious marinara, Bolognese, or ragu for this lasagna. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on making this lasagna.

Combine these two with the flavored cheese layer and you have a stellar lasagna that tastes out of this world! All these layers come together and act like a opera is going on in your mouth. The flavors of the meatballs, the sauce, and the cheese just sing together. If with some simple shortcuts, you can have this on the table in less than 2 hours. And most of that is cooking time and then resting time.

Comfort Food Recipes

• Butterscotch Tapioca Pudding from That Recipe
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice Skillet from Blogghetti
• Cream of Spinach Soup from Art of Natural Living
• Fried Chicken Hot Shot (Manhattan) from Palatable Pastime
• Gluten-Free, Vegan Cilantro Cream Quinoa Spaghetti from Magical Ingredients
• Make Ahead Beef Stew from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Meatball Lasagna from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Sausage Tortellini Soup from Fresh April Flours
• Taco Soup from Devour Dinner

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