Deca-Dinner Delight—Dinner for 10

Deca-Dinner Delight is a hearty Italian dinner recipe designed to serve 10 people. This meal features a variety of traditional Italian ingredients, combined in a unique way to create a delightful and satisfying dining experience. Perfect for large gatherings, it’s sure to impress with its rich flavors and elegant presentation.

Meal Type

Dessert

Cuisine

Italian

Servings

10

Food Stars

Health

Variations

Diets

Variations

You Need This Stuff

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cups
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided into 3 and 1 cups
  • 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 bell peppers, sliced
  • 2 zucchinis, sliced
  • 10 Italian sausages, cooked and sliced
  • 1 bunch fresh basil for garnish

Do This With That Stuff

  1. ‘Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
  2. Use your chef’s knife and chopping board to chop the large onion and mince the garlic cloves
  3. Slice the bell peppers, zucchinis, and cooked Italian sausages using the same knife and board
  4. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat
  5. Add the chopped onion to the pot, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until it becomes translucent
  6. Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning
  7. Add ground beef into the pot Cook until browned, breaking it up with your wooden spoon as it cooks
  8. Open cans of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste using your can opener Add these to the pot along with red wine, dried basil leaves, dried oregano leaves, salt, and black pepper Stir well to combine all ingredients
  9. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 30 minutes while you prepare other ingredients Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
  10. In a large bowl combine ricotta cheese, beaten eggs, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese using your whisk Set this mixture aside for later use
  11. In a medium skillet over medium heat add remaining olive oil Once hot add sliced bell peppers and zucchinis Cook until they are tender then set aside in another bowl for later use
  12. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of your large baking dish (13×9 inches)
  13. Arrange four lasagna noodles over sauce then layer half of ricotta mixture on top followed by half of cooked vegetables
  14. Spread another layer of meat sauce over vegetables followed by 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  15. Repeat layers starting with lasagna noodles followed by remaining ricotta mixture then remaining vegetables
  16. Top this off with remaining meat sauce followed by remaining Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese
  17. Arrange sliced Italian sausages on top of the final layer of cheese
  18. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly Use your oven mitts to remove the dish from the oven
  19. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving’

Obvious and Not So Obvious Variations and Pairings

☕ Bitter
  • ‘Add 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder to the meat sauce
  • Increase dried basil leaves to 3 tsp
  • Increase dried oregano leaves to 3 tsp
  • Add 1/2 cup of chopped radicchio to the vegetable mix
  • Add 1/2 cup of chopped endive to the vegetable mix
  • Replace red wine with 1.5 cups of dry vermouth
  • Sprinkle 1 tsp of ground coffee over the final layer before baking’
🧂 Salty
  • ‘Increase salt to 2 tsp
  • Add 1/2 cup capers, drained
  • Add 1 cup chopped Kalamata olives
  • Increase Parmesan cheese to 1 cup, divided into 1/2 and 1/2 cups
  • Replace ground beef with 2 lbs of ground Italian sausage’
🍋 Sour
  • ‘Add 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • Increase the red wine to 1.5 cups
  • Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice
  • Replace 1 can of crushed tomatoes with 1 can of diced tomatoes in juice
  • Add 3 tbsp of capers’
🌶️ Spicy
  • ‘Add 2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Add 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Increase garlic to 8 cloves, minced
  • Add 1 spicy Italian sausage to the existing 10 sausages
  • Substitute half of the bell peppers with 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
  • Add 1/2 cup of spicy tomato sauce to the crushed tomatoes’
🍬 Sweet
  • ‘Add 1 cup of chopped sweet red bell peppers
  • Increase the red wine to 1.5 cups
  • Add 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
  • Add 2 tbsp of honey to the ricotta mixture
  • Replace 1 can of crushed tomatoes with 1 can of sweet cherry tomatoes
  • Add 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil to the meat sauce’
🍄 Umami
  • ‘Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce to the meat sauce
  • Increase garlic to 8 cloves
  • Add 1 cup of chopped mushrooms to the vegetable mix
  • Add 1 tsp of anchovy paste to the meat sauce
  • Replace 1/2 cup red wine with 1/2 cup of beef broth
  • Increase Parmesan cheese to 1 cup, divided into 1/3 and 2/3 cups’
🍸 Alcoholic
  • ‘Chianti Classico: This Italian red wine has a robust flavor that pairs well with the rich meat and tomato sauce in the dish
  • Prosecco: The light and bubbly nature of this Italian sparkling wine can help balance out the heaviness of the dish, providing a refreshing contrast
  • Limoncello: This Italian lemon liqueur can act as a palate cleanser after the meal, its sweet and tart flavor complements the richness of the dish’
🥤 Non Alcoholic
  • ‘Sparkling Water with Lemon: The bubbles and acidity from the lemon can help cut through the richness of the dish
  • Italian Cream Soda: The sweetness and creaminess of this drink complement the savory and cheesy elements of the lasagna
  • Tomato Juice: The savory flavor profile matches well with the tomato-based sauce in the dish’
IMPORTANT NOTE: Artificial Intelligence created this—this means the following may or may not be correct or accurate. If following a specific diet is critical to your health and well-being due to ailments or health conditions, please consult your doctor before trying any of these variations.

🥓 Keto
  • Remove 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
  • Remove 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • Remove 1 cup red wine
  • Remove 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
  • Add 2 cups of chopped spinach
  • Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
  • Increase ground beef to 3 lbs
  • Increase bell peppers to 4, sliced
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
🍆 Mediterranean
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs ground lamb
  • Replace 1 cup red wine with 1 cup white wine
  • Remove ricotta cheese
  • Add 3 cups of feta cheese
  • Remove Italian sausages
  • Add 2 cups of chopped Kalamata olives
  • Add 1 tbsp of dried rosemary leaves
  • Replace dried basil leaves with fresh basil leaves, chopped, to taste
  • Replace dried oregano leaves with fresh oregano leaves, chopped, to taste’
🥑 Paleo
  • ‘Remove 3 cups ricotta cheese
  • Remove 2 eggs
  • Remove 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Remove 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Replace 12 lasagna noodles with 2 large eggplants, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • Replace 10 Italian sausages with 10 Italian-style chicken sausages, cooked and sliced
  • Add 1 cup of almond cheese, divided into 1/2 and 1/2 cups’
🐟 Pescatarian
  • ‘Remove ground beef
  • Remove Italian sausages
  • Add 2 lbs of firm white fish, such as cod or haddock, cut into chunks
  • Add 10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined’
🌱 Vegan
  • Replace the ground beef with 2 lbs of lentils
  • Replace the ricotta cheese with 3 cups of almond ricotta
  • Replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons of water (flax eggs)
  • Replace the Parmesan cheese with 3/4 cup of nutritional yeast, divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cups
  • Replace the mozzarella cheese with 4 cups of vegan mozzarella shreds, divided into 3 and 1 cups
  • Replace the Italian sausages with 10 vegan Italian sausages
🥦 Vegetarian
  • ‘Remove 2 lbs ground beef
  • Remove 10 Italian sausages
  • Add 2 lbs of plant-based ground meat substitute
  • Add 10 vegetarian Italian sausage substitutes’
🥩 Whole30
  • ‘Remove 1 cup red wine
  • Remove 3 cups ricotta cheese
  • Remove 2 eggs
  • Remove 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Remove 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Replace 12 lasagna noodles with 2 large eggplants, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • Replace 10 Italian sausages with 10 Whole30-compliant Italian sausages’
IMPORTANT NOTE: Artificial Intelligence created this—this means the following may or may not be correct or accurate. If following a specific diet is critical to your health and well-being due to ailments or health conditions, please consult your doctor before trying any of these variations.

🧠 Brain Health
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs of ground turkey
  • Add 1 cup of chopped spinach
  • Replace 1 can of crushed tomatoes with 1 can (15 oz) of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Replace 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese with 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
  • Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to the ricotta mixture
  • Replace Italian sausages with 10 slices of grilled salmon
  • Add 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil to the olive oil for cooking vegetables’
🌾 Celiac Disease
  • ‘Replace 12 lasagna noodles with 12 gluten-free lasagna noodles’
💩 Crohns Disease
  • ‘Remove ground beef
  • Replace with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Remove red wine
  • Replace with 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • Decrease garlic to 3 cloves, minced
  • Decrease onion to 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • Remove crushed tomatoes
  • Replace with 2 cans (28 oz each) of low-acid canned tomatoes
  • Remove tomato paste
  • Replace with 1 can (6 oz) of low-acid tomato paste
  • Remove ricotta cheese
  • Replace with 3 cups lactose-free cottage cheese
  • Remove Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese
  • Replace with 3/4 cup and 4 cups of lactose-free versions respectively
  • Remove Italian sausages’
🩸 Diabetes
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace 1 cup red wine with 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • Replace 3 cups ricotta cheese with 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
  • Decrease the grated Parmesan cheese to 1/2 cup, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 cups
  • Decrease the shredded mozzarella cheese to 2 cups, divided into 1 and 1 cups
  • Replace lasagna noodles with whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • Replace Italian sausages with turkey sausages’
🍞 Gluten Intolerance
  • Replace 12 lasagna noodles with 12 gluten-free lasagna noodles
  • Replace 1 cup red wine with 1 cup gluten-free red wine
  • Ensure the Italian sausages are gluten-free variety
🫀 Heart Disease
  • ‘Replace 2 lbs ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace 1 cup red wine with 1 cup low sodium beef broth
  • Decrease the salt to 1/2 tsp
  • Replace 3 cups ricotta cheese with 3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
  • Replace 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 3/4 cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese
  • Replace 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese with 4 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
  • Replace 10 Italian sausages with 10 chicken sausages’
❤️ Heart Health
  • ‘Replace 2 lbs ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace 1 cup red wine with 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • Decrease 3 cups ricotta cheese to 2 cups
  • Replace 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 3/4 cup grated Parmesan-style soy cheese
  • Replace 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese with 4 cups shredded mozzarella-style soy cheese
  • Increase 3 bell peppers to 5 bell peppers
  • Increase 2 zucchinis to 3 zucchinis
  • Replace Italian sausages with turkey sausages’
🧂 High Blood Pressure
  • Remove 1 tsp salt
  • Replace ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace Italian sausages with 10 chicken sausages
  • Decrease Parmesan cheese to 1/2 cup, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 cups
  • Decrease mozzarella cheese to 2 cups, divided into 1 and 1 cups
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
  • Increase bell peppers to 4, sliced
  • Add 2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
  • Add 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
🍔 High Cholesterol
  • ‘Replace 2 lbs ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace 3 cups ricotta cheese with 3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
  • Replace 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 3/4 cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese
  • Replace 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese with 4 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
  • Replace 10 Italian sausages with 10 chicken sausages
  • Increase the amount of zucchinis to 4, sliced
  • Increase the amount of bell peppers to 5, sliced’
🦠 Immune System
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs of ground turkey
  • Add 1 cup of chopped spinach
  • Add 1 cup of chopped mushrooms
  • Replace 1 can of crushed tomatoes with 1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes
  • Replace red wine with 1 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth
  • Increase garlic to 8 cloves, minced
  • Increase bell peppers to 4, sliced
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
  • Replace Italian sausages with 10 turkey sausages, cooked and sliced’
🚽 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace onion with 1 cup of chopped fennel
  • Remove garlic
  • Replace crushed tomatoes with 2 cans (28 oz each) of low-acid canned tomatoes
  • Remove tomato paste
  • Replace red wine with 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth
  • Decrease dried basil leaves to 1 tsp
  • Decrease dried oregano leaves to 1 tsp
  • Remove salt
  • Decrease black pepper to 1/4 tsp
  • Replace ricotta cheese with 3 cups lactose-free cottage cheese
  • Replace eggs with egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs
  • Replace Parmesan cheese with lactose-free Parmesan-style cheese, divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cups
  • Replace mozzarella cheese with lactose-free mozzarella-style cheese, divided into 3 and 1 cups
  • Use gluten-free lasagna noodles instead of regular ones, cooked and drained according to package instructions for gluten-free pasta
  • Remove Italian sausages’
💧 Kidney Disease
  • ‘Remove ground beef
  • Replace with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Remove Italian sausages
  • Decrease the salt to 1/2 tsp
  • Decrease the Parmesan cheese to 1/2 cup, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 cups
  • Decrease the mozzarella cheese to 2 cups, divided into 1 and 1 cups
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
  • Add 3 carrots, sliced’
🐄 Lactose Intolerance
  • Replace 3 cups ricotta cheese with 3 cups lactose-free ricotta cheese
  • Replace 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 3/4 cup lactose-free Parmesan cheese
  • Replace 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese with 4 cups lactose-free mozzarella cheese
🍺 Liver Disease
  • ‘Remove ground beef
  • Replace with 2 lbs of lean turkey meat
  • Decrease red wine to 1/2 cup
  • Remove Italian sausages
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
  • Increase bell peppers to 4, sliced
  • Decrease ricotta cheese to 2 cups
  • Decrease Parmesan cheese to 1/2 cup, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 cups
  • Decrease mozzarella cheese to 3 cups, divided into 2 and 1 cups’
🤰 Pregnancy
  • ‘Replace ground beef with 2 lbs ground turkey
  • Replace red wine with 1 cup of grape juice
  • Replace Italian sausages with 10 turkey sausages
  • Increase zucchinis to 3, sliced
  • Add 1 cup of chopped spinach’

Beti’s Reflections

Picture this: I’m wandering through the cobblestone streets of Rome, when I stumble upon a bustling family-owned trattoria. The air is thick with the aroma of simmering tomatoes and garlic, and I’m instantly drawn in. It’s here that I discover the inspiration for our Deca-Dinner Delight Recipe, a hearty Italian Cuisine Recipe that embodies the warmth and richness of traditional Italian cooking.

The Deca-Dinner Delight is a feast designed to serve 10 people, making it an ideal choice for large gatherings or family dinners. However, please note that this recipe isn’t suitable for those following vegan, gluten-free or low-carb diets.

This recipe calls for a medley of ingredients that are staples in Italian Cuisine Recipes: ground beef and Italian sausage lend a robust meatiness; onion and garlic form the aromatic base; crushed tomatoes and tomato paste create a rich sauce enhanced by red wine; dried basil and oregano leaves add an herby depth; while salt and black pepper season it to perfection. The creamy layers are formed by ricotta cheese mixed with eggs and Parmesan cheese, while mozzarella cheese gives it that classic lasagna pull. Lasagna noodles hold everything together, while bell peppers and zucchinis add a fresh crunch. Finally, fresh basil garnishes the dish adding an extra touch of freshness.

To bring our Deca-Dinner Delight to life, start by sautéing onions until translucent then adding garlic followed by ground beef until browned. Stir in your crushed tomatoes, tomato paste along with red wine and herbs to create your sauce which will simmer to perfection while you prepare other ingredients like your ricotta mixture and sautéed vegetables. Assembling your lasagna is all about layering – noodles followed by ricotta mixture then vegetables topped off with meat sauce sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Repeat these layers, top with sliced Italian sausages and bake until golden brown. Remember to let it cool before serving to ensure perfect slices.

So there you have it, the Deca-Dinner Delight Recipe, a family size meal that’s sure to impress at your next gathering. It’s a little slice of Italy right in your kitchen, complete with all the rich flavors and hearty ingredients that make Italian cuisine so beloved. So why not roll up your sleeves and dive into this Homemade Italian Sausage Lasagna recipe? After all, nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like a homemade lasagna!

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This recipe has not yet been reviewed by a human.

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