Classic Sicilian Lasagna Recipe

Tired of the same old lasagna recipe? We’re kicking up Garfield’s favorite meal with Genoa salami and hard-boiled eggs, the secret ingredients in this classic Sicilian lasagna. Pure happiness in layers!

This uncomplicated recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal, by boiling eggs and making the ragù Bolognese sauce (meat sauce) in advance, and using oven-ready lasagna noodles. 

• There are four different kinds of cheese in this Sicilian-style lasagna recipe, which eliminates the need for béchamel sauce, and the middle layer replaces the use of Italian sausage.
• The recipe is quick to prep.
• There are fewer pans to wash after prepping this meal.
• The lasagna freezes well uncooked and cooked and doesn’t taste like leftovers at all.
• It’s easy to keep your freezer stocked with homemade lasagna for busy weeknights.

I can never get enough of this lasagna. It is not without reason that lasagna is one of the most popular dishes all over the planet and one of the symbols of Italian cuisine.

This Sicilian classic is simply balm to the soul, pure comfort food. Good lasagna takes time. Each of their layers has to be filled with devotion; otherwise, lasagna is not the queen of pasta, but just a sticky pasta dish.

LASAGNA SICILIANA

The term "lagana" was used in Roman times and referred to square or rectangular-shaped thin wheat-flour dough sheets baked or fire-cooked. The introduction of egg in the dough, cheese, and tomatoes came centuries later.

This recipe was given to me by Silvana, an Italian girl I worked with when I lived in Germany. She told me it's her Sicilian grandmother’s secret lasagna recipe. Thankfully though, she let the cat out of the bag! 😸

Is it authentic? I haven’t got a clue! As with any traditional dish, there are many recipes and variations of lasagna (and it was quite different centuries ago from how it is today), but I know this: it's the best homemade lasagna I ever had! 

INGREDIENTS FOR SICILIAN LASAGNA:

The ingredients in the middle layer put this lasagna above any other. Oh, and cheese, of course, because a good cheese makes all the difference.

Protein - Ground beef, Genoa salami, and eggs

Dairy - Cottage cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan

Vegetables - Spinach

Pasta - oven-ready lasagna noodles

Herbs - Parsley

Seasonings - Salt and black pepper

Aromatics - Garlic and pasta sauce

Fat - Olive oil

Liquid - Water

RECIPE TIPS/EXPERT NOTES

F R E Q U E N T L Y  A S K E D  Q U E S T I O N S:

CAN I FREEZE LASAGNA?

Lasagna is a freezer-friendly meal. You can make it ahead and freeze before baking or freeze leftover baked lasagna.

To freeze lasagna without baking:

1. Assemble lasagna in a freezer and oven-safe container, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to three months.
2. When you're ready to bake, defrost lasagna in the refrigerator for 24 hours, remove the plastic wrap and follow baking directions in the recipe card below.
3. Or, preheat the oven to 375 F and bake frozen lasagna (plastic wrap removed) for 1 hour or until the center is hot. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

To freeze baked lasagna:

1. Separate lasagna into individual servings or freeze whole. Place leftover lasagna into freezer bags or an airtight plastic container and freeze for up to three months.

HOW DO I REHEAT LASAGNA?

Frozen lasagna:

1. Unwrap the lasagna piece and place it on a microwave-safe dish. Drizzle with extra Marinara sauce or water to keep moist.
2. Cover the dish and microwave at medium heat for 2 minutes. Check to see if it's warmed all the way through. If necessary, continue to microwave in 20-second increments until thoroughly heated.  
3. You can warm up defrosted lasagna in the oven at 375 F. Cover and heat until the edges are sizzling.

Refrigerated lasagna:

1. Microwave lasagna piece for 1 minute, then in 15-seconds increments until thoroughly heated.

CAN I MAKE SICILIAN LASAGNA GLUTEN-FREE?

Luckily, oven-ready lasagna noodles are also available free of gluten.

HOW DO I BOIL EGGS?

1. Place eggs in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover them with cold water, making sure the tops of eggs are covered by at least an inch of water. 
2. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. If your eggs crack, the salt will prevent them from leaking out.
3. Bring to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes.
4. Run cold water over boiled eggs until they’re completely cool. Why do this? Because it makes peeling eggs a breeze.

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YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY THIS EASY RAVIOLI LASAGNA RECIPE.

Classic Sicilian Lasagna Recipe

The surprise is in the middle layer: spinach, hard-boiled eggs, and Italian Genoa salami. It puts this Sicilian lasagna above any other.

5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 922kcal

Author: Jas

Equipment

• ▢
  cast-iron or nonstick skillet
• ▢
  lasagna pan

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef best a mixture of pork and beef
• ▢ 1 24 oz. jar Marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ Salt and pepper

For the Spinach Layer

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 4 cups spinach chopped
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced

For the Cheese Mixture

• ▢ 3 cups shredded mozzarella divided
• ▢ 1 16 oz. container ricotta cheese
• ▢ ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino Romano cheese divided
• ▢ 1 egg beaten
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

You will also need:

• ▢ 1 cup cottage cheese
• ▢ 3 hard-boiled eggs sliced
• ▢ 1 cup chopped Genoa salami ca. 4 oz.
• ▢ 8 oz. fresh mozzarella sliced
• ▢ 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Meat Sauce

• In a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground meat and brown, breaking down pieces with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink.
• Drain the fat and stir in 24 oz. of marinara sauce. Add 1 cup water to the empty sauce jar; cover with a lid and shake well. Toss the liquid with the meat mixture; season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Spinach Layer

• In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 4 cups of chopped spinach and heat through until just wilted. Set aside.

Cheese Mixture

• Meanwhile, mix 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella, 16 oz. Ricotta, ¼ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 beaten egg, and ¼ chopped fresh parsley until blended. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assemble Lasagna

• Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of the 13x9-inch baking pan. Top with a layer of 3 oven-ready lasagna noodles (don’t worry if they don’t cover the entire pan).
• Top the noodles with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and about 1 cup meat sauce. Repeat the same layer once again (3 noodles, ½ of the remaining cheese mixture, and 1 cup meat).
• For the third layer, top the noodles with 1 cup cottage cheese and spread with the wilted spinach, 1 cup chopped salami, 3 sliced hard-boiled eggs, and 8 oz. sliced fresh mozzarella. Add 1 cup of the meat sauce.
• Place another layer of noodles and cover with the remaining cheese mixture and remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano).
• Cover the pan with foil greased with cooking spray (so that cheese doesn't stick to it). Bake 1 hour or until heated through, removing foil after 45 minutes. Before cutting, let stand 15 minutes.

Notes

• The noodles will most likely not cover the whole bottom of your baking pan. Have no fear: they will expand by cooking and fill up the pan.
• When you're spreading the meat sauce, make sure to place some on the noodle outside edges too. It's easy to forget and just dump everything in the middle.
• If your pan is a bit shallow, and you think the cheese is going to stick to the foil, insert toothpicks over your lasagna and rest the large piece of foil onto them, making sure to tuck the foil around the pan.
• To prevent the sauce from boiling over and burning in the oven, causing it to smoke, place lasagna pan on a large foil-covered cookie sheet.
  * This will only happen if your pan is shallow (less than 2 ½-inches).

Nutrition

Calories: 922kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 275mg | Sodium: 1391mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3004IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 669mg | Iron: 4mg

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