Recipe review: Lasagna

Lasagna has always been one of my all-time favorite comfort meals. It’s that dish—the one I’d literally drop everything for. I would drive from Seguin to San Antonio just to have a plate when my mom texts me that it’s ready. No hesitation. That’s how good it is. It’s rich, warm, cheesy, and somehow tastes like home every single time. So for this assignment, I figured, why not try making it myself? It felt like the perfect opportunity to recreate a dish I’d been spoiled by for years—and see if I could actually pull it off.  

 Having watched my mom make lasagna over the years, I know it takes quite a bit f time. So I had to prepare myself for a cooking marathon.It was time to gather the ingredients. 

I made this yesterday but forgot to take a picture, this is the leftovers.

The recipe I used: 

World’s Best Lasagna – AllRecipes.com 

I chose this recipe because it closely resembled my mom’s version, but I wanted to switch things up just a little to make it my own. A lot of the ingredients were the same—ricotta, mozzarella, marinara, ground beef—but I added tomatoes and onions for extra flavor and texture. I also wanted to test whether this version could compete with mom’s lasagna, and maybe (just maybe) find a new favorite. 

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous going into it. The layering part was the most intimidating. I had all kinds of visions of slippery noodles sliding around or cheese falling off the sides in a gooey mess. And with everything happening at once—chopping onions, browning the beef, stirring sauce, boiling noodles—it felt like I had twelve arms going in every direction. Making lasagna is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. But once I got into the rhythm, it started to feel kind of fun. Like making edible architecture. 

 

I took my time layering: noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, mozzarella—then repeat. At first, I worried I wasn’t spreading everything evenly, or that my bottom noodle layer would get all out of line. But I kept going. I trusted the process. And when I finally pulled the pan out of the oven, it looked like something out of a magazine. The top layer was beautifully bronzed, the cheese toasted to perfection, and the kitchen smelled like a cozy Italian restaurant.  

And the taste? Chef’s kiss. It was rich, cheesy, savory, and honestly better than I expected. The ricotta added texture that balanced perfectly with the herby sauce and hearty meat. I think I could’ve let the sauce simmer just a little longer to deepen the flavor, but it still turned out great. My mom gave me the nod of approval—the one where she didn’t even say anything, just raised her eyebrow and smiled. That felt like winning a medal. Like I had officially leveled up in the family food chain. 

But what really got me was how much my siblings loved it. My brothers and sisters went back for seconds—and then thirds. They told me straight up that I need to keep making this from now on. One of them even said it might be better than mom’s (don’t worry, I didn’t repeat that out loud). It was the kind of compliment that meant more than a letter grade or a gold star. 

 

Would I make this again? Without a doubt. I already bookmarked the recipe and made notes for next time—maybe adding a layer of spinach or using spicy sausage instead of ground beef. More than anything, this experience gave me a new appreciation for the meals my mom has made over the years. Lasagna used to be her thing, but now it feels like it’s mine too. 

So yeah… I guess you could say I found a new reason to stay home. Or at least, a reason for my family to start texting me when they’re hungry.