Northern-Style Lasagna
Submitted by sreames
Northern-style lasagna with bacon, ground beef, ricotta, and a cream of mushroom layer alongside the meat sauce. Creamy, meaty, and bubbling hot.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
80 minWhat makes this lasagna “Northern” is the cream of mushroom soup layer between the noodles. Instead of the tomato-heavy, all-red-sauce approach of Southern Italian-American lasagna, this version alternates a bacon and ground beef meat sauce with a creamy mushroom and ricotta layer for a richer, more complex build.
Cooking the beef in the bacon fat is where the extra flavor comes from. Those four slices of diced bacon crisp up first, then the ground beef and onion brown in the rendered fat. It’s a small detail that adds a smoky depth running through the entire meat sauce.
The layering order matters. Meat sauce goes on the bottom to protect the noodles from the dish, then noodles, then the soup-milk mixture, then the ricotta-Parmesan blend, then more meat sauce. Repeat, and finish with noodles and a final layer of meat sauce topped with Parmesan. That covered 30 minutes of baking lets everything meld, and the uncovered final 10 minutes gives you that golden, bubbling Parmesan crust.
Pro Tips
- Let the lasagna rest for a full 10 minutes after baking. Cut into it early and the layers slide apart into a saucy mess.
- Cook the noodles just short of al dente. They soften more in the oven and overcooked noodles turn to paste.
- Spoon off the bacon fat before adding the beef. You want the flavor, not a greasy sauce.
- Use whole milk ricotta, not part-skim. The extra fat makes the creamy layers actually creamy.
Variations
- Swap cream of mushroom for cream of chicken soup for a milder creamy layer.
- Add a cup of shredded mozzarella between layers for extra stretchy cheese pulls.
- Use Italian sausage instead of ground beef for a spicier, more herbaceous meat sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
In 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp.
Spoon off fat.
Add beef and onion.
Cook until meat is browned and is thoroughly cooked and no pink remains, stirring once during cooking to separate meat.
Spoon off fat.
Stir in spaghetti sauce; set aside.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine soup and milk.
In another small bowl, combine ricotta and ¼ cup of parmesan.
In 13 x 9 inch baking dish , spread 1½ cups of meat sauce.
Top with 3 lasagna noodles, spread with ½ of soup mixture, ½ of cheese mixture, and ⅓ of remaining meat sauce.
Repeat layers.
Top with remaining lasagna noodles and remaining meat sauce.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 30 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup parmesan.
Bake 10 minutes more or until hot and bubbling.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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