Million Dollar Lasagna

This Million Dollar Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food—layer after layer of rich, meaty sauce, creamy cheese filling, and perfectly cooked pasta, all baked to bubbly, golden perfection. The secret? A luscious mix of ricotta, cream cheese, and mozzarella that makes every bite taste like a million bucks! Perfect for family dinners, meal prep, or impressing guests with a seriously delicious homemade lasagna.

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Rest Time: 15

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: People

Calories: 762kcal

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Italian Sausage
1 Onion diced
3 Teaspoons Garlic minced
24 Ounces Marinara Sauce store bought or homemad
14 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper

Cheese Mixture

16 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
8 Ounces Whipped Cream Cheese
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
1 Egg
2 Cups Mozzarella shredded
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley

Lasagna Layers

1 Box Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
2 Cups Mozzarella shredded
Parsley for garnish

Instructions

Meat Sauce

Cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, and diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add the marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cheese Mixture

Mix together the ricotta cheese, whipped cream cheese, Parmesan, egg, and dried parsley. Stir in two cups of shredded mozzarella.

Lasagna Assembly

Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Place 3 lasagna noodle over the sauce.
Spread a layer of the cheese over the noodles, followed by a layer of meat sauce. Top with a handful of mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the layers (noodles, cheese mixture, meat sauce, mozzarella) until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of meat sauce and mozzarella.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices and serving

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Use a mix of meats – Combining ground beef and Italian sausage adds extra flavor and depth to the sauce.

Drain excess grease – After browning the meat, drain any excess grease to prevent a greasy lasagna.

Season generously – Taste your sauce as it simmers and adjust the seasoning for the perfect balance of flavors.

Let the sauce simmer – Allowing it to cook for at least 15-20 minutes helps develop a rich, deep flavor.

Whip the cheese mixture – Blending the ricotta, cream cheese, and egg until smooth ensures a creamy, even layer.

Layer strategically – Start with sauce on the bottom, followed by noodles, cheese, and repeat for the best texture and flavor balance.

Don’t overdo the noodles – Use just enough to separate the layers without overpowering the rich fillings.

Cover while baking – Tent foil over the dish for the first half of baking to prevent the cheese from over-browning.

Let it rest before slicing – Allow the lasagna to sit for 10-15 minutes after baking so it holds its shape when cut.

Make it ahead – Assemble the lasagna a day in advance and refrigerate overnight for even better flavor!

Freeze for later – This lasagna freezes beautifully—just wrap it tightly and bake from frozen when needed.

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