Ultimate Lasagna with Ricotta Bechamel

Prepare the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven, heat over medium-high heat. Add ground sirloin and sausage, cooking and stirring until browned and crumbled, about 8 minutes. Drain the excess fat and set the meat aside.

Add olive oil to the Dutch oven. Stir in the onion and salt, cooking over medium-high heat until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir well to combine. Add the cooked meat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in basil and parsley.

While the sauce simmers, prepare the bechamel sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, constantly whisking. Gradually pour in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat and whisk in ricotta cheese until smooth. Let the sauce sit for 10 minutes to thicken.

At the same time, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but firm to the bite. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spoon 1/2 cup of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 4 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce over the noodles, followed by half of the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layering process once more. Top with the last 4 noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.