Million Dollar Lasagna

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara or pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt & pepper to taste

For the Cheese Mixture:

• 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Other:

• 9 lasagna noodles (regular or oven-ready)
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Extra Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, sausage, and onion until fully cooked. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain excess grease.
3. Stir in marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, sour cream, egg, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
5. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions (skip if using oven-ready noodles).
6. Assemble the lasagna in a 9×13-inch baking dish:
   • Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom.
   • Layer 3 noodles.
   • Spread ⅓ of the cheese mixture.
   • Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
   • Repeat layers (sauce, noodles, cheese mix, mozzarella) two more times.
   • Top with remaining meat sauce and a generous layer of mozzarella and Parmesan.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
8. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with extra parsley or basil if desired.

Enjoy your rich and creamy Million Dollar Lasagna! Let me know if you’d like a version with spinach or a vegetarian twist.