This Copycat Olive Garden Lasagna Recipe Is Comfort Food at Its Best

Craving comfort food? Look no further than this Olive Garden lasagna recipe, inspired by the Italian-American restaurant chain we all know and love. Ultra-satisfying and packed with layers of meat sauce, delicious cheese, and tender noodles, this dish is based on Olive Garden's Lasagna Classico — one of their bestselling menu items, and for good reason. Turns out, this lasagna is surprisingly easy to whip up at home, and the full recipe makes enough to fill eight plates, making it great for a crowd, a family dinner, or Sunday meal prep with lots of leftovers for the rest of the week.

The key is the tasty cheese mixture, which features a combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and romano cheese whisked together with basil, oregano, and parsley. Layer this cheesy concoction with hearty meat sauce and lasagna noodles, pop it in the oven, and prepare yourself for the aroma of a delicious Italian classic. Gooey, gratifying, and fit to feed a crowd, this Olive Garden lasagna recipe is one to bookmark and add to your regular rotation. Pro tip: Don't forget to serve it with TikTok's take on Olive Garden's breadsticks! Grab the tomatoes, cheese, and your favorite casserole dish and get ready to dig in.

— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano and Maggie Ryan

Lasagna Classico

From Olive Garden

Ingredients

1. For the meat sauce:
   2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
   1 onion, finely chopped
   2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
   1/2 pound ground beef
   6 ounces Italian sausage, removed from their casings and crumbled
   2 16-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
   1/4 teaspoon dried basil
   1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
   Salt, to taste
   Pepper, to taste

1. For the cheese mixture:
   16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
   1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
   1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
   1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
   1 tablespoon basil, chopped
   1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
   1 egg, lightly beaten

1. For the lasagna:
   12 cooked or no-boil lasagna noodles
   Cooking spray
   1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pot. Add then onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the ground beef and sausage, and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, basil, and oregano, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then chill.
2. Make the cheese mixture: Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and romano cheeses, parsley, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and egg in a large mixing bowl.
3. Build and bake the lasagna: Spray the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 4 ounces of the meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over the meat sauce (they may overlap slightly). Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce onto the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers of noodles, cheese, and meat sauce two more times. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, the remaining meat sauce, and shredded mozzarella.
4. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray and wrap the pan tightly with it, sprayed side down. Bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the internal temperature is 165º. Turn the oven off and allow the lasagna to set up in the warm oven for 30 minutes.
5. Cut into squares 2 rows long by 4 rows wide. Plate and garnish with fresh basil.

Information

Category

Pasta, Main Dishes

Cuisine

Italian

Yield

Serves 8

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