Summer Lasagna With Fresh Mozzarella, Sausage, and Basil
- Ready In:
- 2hrs
- Ingredients:
- 14
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
-
Tomato Sauce
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 lbs roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
-
Casserole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3⁄4 lb sweet Italian sausage (pork, chicken, or turkey)
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 24 basil leaves, cut into thin strips
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
directions
- Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350°.
- Make tomato sauce: heat a big saucepan over medium heat; swirl in ¼ cup olive oil, then add in the onions; cook about 2 minutes, until softened, stirring constantly.
- Add in the garlic; cook about 20 seconds, just until aromatic.
- Add in the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer.
- Decrease heat to low; simmer 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens; stir in the tomato paste.
- Meanwhile, heat a big skillet over med-high heat; swirl in 1 tablespoon oil; add in the sausage.
- The moment the sausage starts to sizzle, decrease heat somewhat and continue cooking until the sausages are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes, turning every so often.
- Transfer sausages to a cutting board and let them stand for a few minutes until you can easily cut them into thin rings.
- Build or layer the casserole: in a 13x9 inch pan, spread 1 cup tomato sauce across the pan’s bottom; 3 no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, half the sausage rings, half the basil leaves; half the cheese slices, 3 no-boil noodles, 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, the remaining sausage rings, the remaining basil, the remaining cheese, the remaining noodles and finally, the remaining tomato sauce.
- Cover the pan with parchment paper, then aluminum foil.
- Bake for 35 minutes, then uncover pan and continue baking about 15 more minutes, until hot, bubbling, and set.
- Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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