Surprisingly simple to make deep dish lasagna with five distinct layers of pasta, three cheeses, spinach, and scratch made red wine meat sauce filled with quality beef and bacon
I wholeheartedly believe in being good to myself. Whether that looks like taking myself on a nice vacation or cooking up a fancy meal in the middle of the week just because. Today we're talking about the latter. A rich, fancy lasagna for special occasions that you'll want to enjoy every day, if possible. I call it "rich auntie lasagna" but you can really treat yourself and anyone else you love to this luxurious meal. Let's get into the details.
Check out my other pasta favorites, too:
How to Make Red Wine Meat Sauce from Scratch
I love a good saucy pasta dish, whether it's baked spaghetti & meatballs or a fancy creamy salmon pasta or even roasted alfredo cauliflower. This one is not necessarily a traditional meat sauce for lasagna but it's got all the trappings: ground beef, oregano, crushed tomato, lots of garlic and onion. There's also a healthy splash of deep red wine. Here's the full ingredient list for my easy red wine pasta sauce:
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Ground Beef
- Onion
- Oregano
- Red Pepper
- Red Wine
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Smoked Bacon (Use pancetta for a more traditional sauce.)
- Spinach
- Tomato Paste
- Water
Making lasagna sauce from scratch sounds intimidating but it isn't at all. Start by cooking down the bacon (or pancetta), onion, and garlic in a bit of oil then add in the ground beef, spices, crushed tomato, and paste. Allow this to simmer away with the red wine and stir in the spinach at the end so that it just wilts. Keep in mind that more cooking will occur in the oven as the three cheese lasagna bakes in a deep dish baking pan.
And you might be wondering can I really put bacon in lasagna? I'm here to tell you that you can. Remember that this isn't a strictly traditional lasagna recipe. It's not even a bolognese lasagna or anything you'd necessarily order at a restaurant. But I think you'll agree that it should be available on every menu, once you taste it. It's a lasagna dinner fit for a queen, which is why I call it rich auntie lasagna. Make it when you want to slow down a little and switch up the flavors. You'll get a bit of smokiness from the bacon, rich creaminess from the cheese, depth from the red wine, and pasta with a nice "bite" to it since it isn't boiled and then baked. This version is a no-boil lasagna.
What to Serve with Lasagna
The way I do it, lasagna can be a whole meal all by itself. I love making lasagna with veggies stuffed into the sauce and this three cheese lasagna recipe is no different. However, here are a few sides and salads that pair well with lasagna.
- Colorful Massaged Kale Salad
- Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Lemon Zested Squash
- Spring Mix & Spinach Salad with Champagne Dressing
Next time you want to treat yourself, I highly recommend making a pan of my rich auntie lasagna. It turns any ol' weeknight into a five-star experience and you deserve that, don't you? Also, sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Deep Dish Lasagna with Red Wine Sauce Recipe
📖 Recipe
Deep Dish Lasagna with Red Wine Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bacon
- ½ white or yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup red wine
- ⅓ cup water
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese divided in half
- 8 ounces parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup dried parsley
- 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 20 uncooked lasagna noodles not fresh, no "no boil" variety
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, add bacon, onion, and garlic to a large sauce pan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until bacon renders fat (about two minutes) This will be the oil to cook down the onion and garlic.
- Add in ground beef and break up any big chunks with your cooking spoon. Season with sea salt, black pepper, and oregano and cook until browned through (about 5 minutes).
- Drain excess fat from pan then stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, water, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes
- Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, ½ the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, and dried parsley in a bowl. Mix until smooth and uniform.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in spinach until just wilted.
- Assemble lasagna in pan by alternating layers of sauce, followed by pasta, then cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with a sauce layer (it's ok if it doesn't completely cover the top of the lasagna). Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over top of lasagna then cover loosely with a sheet of foil.
- Bake lasagna for about 35 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and allow to cool and set for an hour before cutting.
Lorac says
Just after making and eating half of the dish myself, I absolutely love that meat sauce, thank you so much for posting the recipe.
Jazzmine Woodard says
You're so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Marie says
I just am making this recipe but had to substitute red wine for red wine vinegar, it’s not done yet so wondering if that is going to change the taste everybody is raving about??
Jazzmine Woodard says
Hi, Marie. I haven't made this recipe with red wine vinegar but a 50/50 mixture of red wine vinegar and water is generally a suitable substitute for red wine in cooking. I hope it turned out well for you!
Britney says
When I read the title of this recipe I knew I had to make it!!! The addition of bacon and red wine to the sauce made this lasagna one to remember. We couldn’t get enough of it!!
Chenée says
The rich auntie name is so perfect! The whole time I was eating it I felt luxurious! The red wine sauce is a winner!
Kaluhi says
The flavour of this lasagne was out of this world excellent!!! Loved every bite and it was so so so rich!
Lilly says
The four layers of cheese and the red wine sauce is so delicious! Everything about this dish is amazing! I will definitely be making again!
Mila says
Wheww! With a good glass of wine, and some music I was having my Rich Auntie moment with this Lasagna. It's so meaty, flavorful and rich. I loved the depth of the sauce as well. Winner for me, and next time I *might* share!
Crystal says
I was so excited to find a lasagna from scratch recipe! This recipe is divine and my son went nuts over the addition of bacon! Definitely a winner!
Jessica Lawson says
Jazz was right when she said this is a meal fit for a rich auntie! This was very easy to put together with the no-boil instructions and the lasagna was rich and very flavorful. I used pancetta instead of bacon and it came out amazing. Will make it again!
Marta says
Three of us love lasagna. The girl child does not. Something about the ricotta and her doesn't jive. The richness of the sauce did it for her, though. There is so much depth and so complex, I see why you call it fancy. Yet, it is so easy to prepare. We'll be adding this to the rotation, for sure.
Thanks!
Funlola says
Hi Jasmine,
What size dish is this recipe for? 13x9?
Jazz says
Great question, Funlola! I used a 13x9-inch, deep dish baking pan and linked it in the post. I'll add it to the recipe card.
Robin says
I had been craving lasagna when I came across this recipe and it truly does not disappoint. The red wine and bacon took it to another level!