Description
Discover a delicious twist on classic lasagna with our Sweet Potato Lasagna recipe. Learn how to create this savory and satisfying dish that will impress your family and friends.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large) (907 g)
- 1 large yellow onion (200 g)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 large sprigs fresh oregano, divided
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided, plus more for the pan
- 8 ounces ground beef (preferably 85% lean) (227 g)
- 8 ounces uncooked beef sausage, sweet or hot Italian style, casings removed if using links (227 g)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (794 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 small lemon
- 1 large sprig fresh basil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15- to 16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (425 g)
- 5 ounces beef-friendly hard cheese (about 1 1/4 cups firmly packed grated on a Microplane), divided
- 16 ounces low-moisture, whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 cups) (454 g)
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and slice them into thin rounds, approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, using a mandoline or a knife.
- Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Strip the oregano leaves from their sprigs and chop them coarsely.
- In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers, then add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it softens, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute until its aroma is released.
- Move the onion mixture to one side of the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Break apart the ground beef and sausage into the empty side of the skillet, using a wooden spoon to crumble it into smaller pieces.
- Cook until the meat is browned on one side, then mix it with the onion mixture. Season with half the salt and half the black pepper.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until its color deepens slightly.
- Stir in half of the oregano, the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and bring to a simmer, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes to reduce the grape juice content.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add water to the tomato can, swirl it around, and pour it into the skillet along with sugar.
- Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer until it thickens slightly and the flavors blend, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grate the hard cheese and shred the mozzarella.
- For the ricotta mixture, zest the lemon into a medium bowl.
- Finely slice the basil leaves and add them to the bowl.
- Add the eggs and beat lightly with a fork until combined.
- Mix in the ricotta, half of the grated hard cheese, two tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining salt, and the rest of the black pepper.
- When the sauce is ready, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- To assemble, reserve the largest sweet potato slices for the top layer.
- Layer a third of the sweet potato slices in the dish, overlapping slightly.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the potatoes evenly.
- Layer half of the meat sauce over the ricotta and smooth it out.
- Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella.
- Repeat with half of the remaining sweet potato slices, the rest of the ricotta mixture, the remaining meat sauce, and another third of the mozzarella.
- Top with the reserved sweet potato slices, then finish with the remaining mozzarella and hard cheese.
- Place the dish on a baking sheet with a rim.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and, if necessary, remove any excess liquid from the top of the lasagna.
- Continue baking uncovered until the cheese is golden-brown and bubbly, about 15 more minutes.
- Allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with the remaining oregano before serving.
Notes
- Slice the sweet potatoes thinly and evenly for even cooking in the lasagna.
- Adjust the meat sauce seasoning to your taste before assembling for a flavorful dish.
- Layer ingredients gently for a well-balanced lasagna with consistent flavors.
