Wild Boar Bourguignon
Wild boar slowly braised in red wine and herbs until tender, with a glossy, full-bodied sauce and no mushrooms.
RecipeMain courseItalian
Classic Meat Lasagne with Ricotta
A lasagne recipe adapted from Nick DiGiovanni's version, using ricotta in place of béchamel between layers of rich meat sauce.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 8
- Per serving
- 485 kcal
In short
A lasagne recipe adapted from Nick DiGiovanni's version, using ricotta in place of béchamel between layers of rich meat sauce. Ready in about 1 hr 15 min (30 min prep, 45 min cooking), serves 8, around 485 kcal per serving.
Ingredients
For 8 servings
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook lasagne sheets according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sausage, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
Add diced onion and garlic to the meat. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, marinara sauce, red wine (if using), oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with the egg and half the parsley until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Layer 4 lasagne sheets, then spread half the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of remaining meat sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella.
Repeat with 4 more sheets, remaining ricotta, 1/2 of remaining meat sauce, and another cup of mozzarella.
Top with final 4 sheets, remaining meat sauce, remaining mozzarella, and all the Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining fresh parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 485kcal
- Protein
- 32g
- Carbohydrates
- 28g
- Fat
- 26g
- Fibre
- 3g
- Sugar
- 8g
Estimated values per serving. AI estimate, not medical advice.
Tips & variations
Perfect Layers
Don't skip the resting time after baking - it helps the layers set and makes serving so much cleaner and easier.
Ricotta Perfection
Mix the egg into the ricotta really well - this helps bind everything together and prevents the ricotta from becoming grainy when baked.
Make-Ahead Magic
Assemble the entire lasagne up to a day ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Just add 10-15 extra minutes to the baking time if going from cold to oven.
Vegetarian Version
Replace the meat with a mix of sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, and spinach. Add some lentils or plant-based ground meat for extra protein and texture.
Three-Cheese Upgrade
Mix some Romano or Asiago cheese into your ricotta mixture for extra depth of flavor, and try using fresh mozzarella for an even creamier result.
Questions about this recipe
How long does Classic Meat Lasagne with Ricotta take?
About 1 hr 15 min in total: 30 min of prep and 45 min of cooking.
How many people does it serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings. The interactive recipe card on our homepage scales the ingredients up or down.
How many calories does it have?
Roughly 485 kcal per serving, with about 32 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates and 26 g fat. These are AI estimates, not lab values.
From our Instagram post
Lasagne, soulfood, Garfield? Who didn’t grow up with it.
There’s something almost universal about lasagne. That moment the dish comes out of the oven, bubbling at the edges, the smell filling the whole house — you just know it’s going to be a good meal. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t need an occasion. It IS the occasion.
This one has been on my list for a while, and I finally pulled the trigger using @nick.digiovanni i recipe — with one twist: ricotta instead of béchamel. Lighter, creamier, and honestly it works so well in between those layers of rich meat sauce. Every bite is exactly what you want it to be.
Nick, thank you for this one. Seriously.
Drop a in the comments if lasagne was a regular at your table growing up — I have a feeling we’re all saying yes.
See the original post on Instagram ↗
The ingredient list, method, nutrition and tips were written out with AI from this post.
