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Grandma's Best Ever Sour Cream Lasagna

This is my grandma's best lasagna recipe, except I use sour cream instead of ricotta (a trick I picked up from my mother-in-law). She always made it for birthdays and special occasions. This makes a large amount, so I halve it when making it for my boyfriend and myself. It's very cheesy, so sometimes I add a little extra tomato sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 people
Calories 6066.3 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet For browning meats and simmering sauce
  • 1 Large Pot For boiling lasagna noodles
  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish For assembling and baking the lasagna
  • 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the sour cream and cheese mixture
  • 1 Wooden Spoon/Spatula For stirring and mixing

Ingredients
  

Main

  • ½ pound ground pork sausage
  • ½ pound ground beef
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 pinch white sugar
  • 1 8 ounce package lasagna noodles
  • 1 16 ounce container sour cream
  • 2 12 ounce packages shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup chopped pitted green olives
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Cook sausage, ground beef, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
  • When the sauce has simmered for about 15 minutes, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
  • Stir sour cream, 1/2 of the mozzarella, Parmesan, olives, eggs, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
  • Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce, and 1/3 of the cheese mixture; repeat layers two more times with remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly over top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Notes

This lasagna, with its sour cream substitution for ricotta, offers a wonderfully tangy and creamy texture. Ensure you thoroughly brown the ground meats and drain all excess fat for a cleaner, richer flavor in your sauce base. Simmering the meat sauce for the full 30 minutes is crucial for deep flavor development. When cooking the lasagna noodles, aim for 'al dente' as they will continue to cook in the oven, preventing a mushy texture. The green olives are a unique, welcome addition, providing a briny counterpoint to the richness. For enhanced flavor, consider a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar in the meat sauce during simmering. Allow the baked lasagna to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing; this allows the layers to set, making for cleaner cuts and preventing it from falling apart.