Elevate with tang and texture by making this Sour Cream Lasagna—a hearty Italian fave that combines the best of the traditional dish’s marinara meat sauce and pasta alfredo.
When I was young, lasagna was all about the meat sauce and pasta. But as good as those layers were, I grew tired of the monotony. Meat sauce, noodles, meat sauce, noodles. Maybe there would be some cheese sprinkled on top. MAYBE.
It wasn’t until I moved out on my own that I discovered lasagna, like most pasta dishes, can include any number of ingredients. That revelation led to the development of Turkey Lasagna and Vegetable Lasagna, among others. What’s funny is that I still focused on those two areas: the pasta and what I was going to put in the sauce. I never thought about the “cream” despite that texture being my favorite part of a lasagna. Maybe that’s why I never thought to change it. Today, however, I’m looking to not only change it, I’m looking to improve it!
This recipe takes a meat lasagna—pork sausage and ground beef—complements it with flavorful herbs and spices like oregano, basil, and parsley, adds mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses THEN brings it all together with sour cream. Once you start eating it, you’ll realize it will take hours to finish. You’ll want to savor that creamy texture in every mouthful.
Top Tips For a Perfect Sour Cream Lasagna
- Be sure not to let your hunger get the better of you; let the lasagna rest. Doing so helps the layers set, making it easier to serve neat portions.
- Save some basil, parsley, and oregano till the end and sprinkle them over top the lasagna as a garnish.
- For a richer flavor, use high-fat (i.e., not lean or extra-lean) ground beef and pork.
- Not enough veggies for you? Add spinach, mushrooms, or roasted red peppers.
- If you use fresh herbs, you may want to increase the amount. The fresh stuff is less potent than its dried counterpart.
What type of sour cream should I use?
Sour cream, like most dairy products, differs in terms of its milk fat (or M.F.). So, which sour cream to use will depend on how creamy you want your lasagna. The higher the M.F. percentage, the creamier it will be.
Serving Suggestions
As with any good lasagna, you need a solid loaf of bread to soak up the sauce. While it isn’t your basic loaf, I suggest trying my Honey Wheat Sunflower Bread. You can then balance out all that richness in the cream with a green salad (or this Brussels Sprout Salad). You can also roast your vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, or eggplant), or grill your vegetables (asparagus or broccoli would be nice). To finish off, why not make an Italian dessert, like my Tiramisu Cake?
How to Prep and Store Sour Cream Lasagna
You can make the lasagna ahead of time then store the finished, pre-cooked product in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Be sure to cover it tightly regardless of where you end up putting it. Once it has been cooked, the lasagna can go into the fridge or the freezer. Again, cover it up or move it to an airtight container. The leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the frozen lasagna thaw in the fridge overnight when it comes time to eat. I usually microwave individual portions but use the oven when warming up the entire lasagna. Set the oven to LOW and cover with foil.
Sour Cream Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz. package of lasagna noodles
- 1/2 lb. ground pork sausage
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes
- 1 8-oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch granulated sugar
- 1 16-oz. container of sour cream
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 12-oz. packages of shredded mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook them, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over MED-HIGH heat, cook the sausage, beef, and garlic until the meat is browned and crumbly. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and a pinch of sugar to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, Parmesan cheese, green olives, salt, black pepper, and one package of mozzarella cheese.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce along the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Layer with 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce, and 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat the layers twice.
- Top with the remaining package of mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the sauces are bubbling
- Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
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