Hearty Meat Lasagna

This classic layered pasta, sauce and cheese dish gets a zesty boost with the addition of chunky, chili sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 2 onions, peeled and chopped


• 1 green bell pepper, chopped


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• 2 teaspoons dried basil


• 2 teaspoons dried oregano


• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves


• 1 pound lean ground beef


• 1/2 pound lean ground pork, veal or crumbled sausage


• 4 cups Heinz® Tomato Juice


• 1 (455 ml) bottle Heinz® Chili Sauce, Chunky with Sweet Peppers


• 1 (156 ml) can Heinz Tomato Paste


• 1 tablespoon Heinz Worcestershire Sauce


• 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles


• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper, garlic and dried herbs; cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables soften.


2. Crumble in beef and pork and brown all over, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice, chili sauce, tomato paste and Worcestershire Sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.


3. Spread 1/4 of the sauce in to a 13- x 9-in (3 L) casserole dish. Top with 3 noodles. Layer with 1/4 more sauce and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers twice, ending with cheese.


4. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Hearty Meat Lasagna