Description
A crowd-pleasing appetizer that transforms classic lasagna into an irresistible, shareable dip. Layers of rich Italian sausage meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and melted mozzarella baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect for parties, game days, or any gathering!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Cheese Layer:
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Topping:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or 2-quart baking dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking apart until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add diced onion to the meat and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in marinara sauce and tomato paste. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Spread half of the meat sauce in the prepared baking dish. Dollop and spread the ricotta mixture over the meat. Top with remaining meat sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. For extra browning, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with fresh basil, and serve hot with toasted bread, crackers, or chips.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Assemble completely but don’t bake. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake when ready to serve, adding 5-10 minutes to baking time.
- Meat Alternatives: Use ground beef, turkey, or make it vegetarian with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, and spinach.
- Extra Creamy: Add 4 oz softened cream cheese to the ricotta mixture.
- Freezing: Freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before baking.
- Keeping Warm: Transfer to a slow cooker on low setting to keep warm during parties.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approximately ¾ cup)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
