Tony Bennett Swore By His Mother’s Lasagna Recipe—and We Can See Why

Editor’s Note: This interview below took place in 2018. Though Tony passed away in 2023, we’re happy to continue sharing his stories about family and food.

For 60 years, we’ve heard Tony Bennett’s dazzling voice sing hits from the Great American Songbook. Despite a jam-packed schedule, we were thrilled when Tony offered to share his mother’s lasagna recipe with us.

Taste Recipes: What has your family taught you about cooking?

Courtesy Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett: My family would come to our house every Sunday for a meal. The reason they always came was to support my mother after my father passed away tragically when I was 10 years old. So the family would come and we would have a meal together. When we were done, they would gather into a circle and my brother, sister and I would perform for them. It was at that time, because my family gave me so much love and encouragement, that I decided that I wanted to be a performer and entertain people. So, it starts with a family meal but it’s always about love.

TOH: What kind of food did you grow up with?

TB: On Sundays, it was the full Italian meal—from antipasto to soup to pasta (al dente, of course) with tomato sauce. And if that wasn’t enough, it was always followed by a meat or fish course and then a line of desserts down the table. During good weather, we would take the entire meal with us and have a picnic outside in the park. Relatives would have mandolins with them and play for everyone.

TOH: What is one of your favorite holiday memories? 

TB: The best holiday food anecdote in my life happened during Thanksgiving one year. I was just a kid and my mom was very upset as we didn’t have enough money to buy a turkey. I had seen a sign on the local movie theatre that they were raffling off turkeys to give away, so I begged my mom for a dime to go to the movies so I could win the turkey. I just knew I was going to win.

When the movie ended, the theatre manager gathered everyone’s stubs and pulled out the winning ticket. “Number four!” That was my ticket! I ran home with that turkey in my arms and it was more precious than gold. Seeing my mother’s face light up when I walked in the door is something I will never forget. My family thought I was a magician after that.

TOH: As a busy entertainer, what is it like eating on tour?

TB: I have to be honest. I don’t really cook. I think it is because I have spent most of my life on the road, eating in hotels and restaurants. And in every city there is always a favorite restaurant that I like to swing by when I am in town. When I married my wife Susan, I hit the jackpot as she not only is a wonderful cook but she cooks very healthy. She makes sure that I stay in shape and eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits along with everything else.  I have been very blessed to have her in my life.

TOH: What is your favorite food?

TB: I am Italian, so there are three things I love the most: Pasta, pasta and more pasta.

So here’s Tony’s lasagna recipe, just like his mom used to make.

Tony Bennett’s Mother’s Lasagna Recipe

Emily Racette Parulski for Taste Recipes

“My mother, Anna Benedetto, was a wonderful cook,” Tony told Taste Recipes. “Her lasagna was a family favorite and she always made it when the family gathered at our home on holidays or big family occasions. My sister, Mary, would help her in the kitchen, and when my mother took ill and passed on, Mary would make the lasagna at all our family gatherings. At my 85th birthday gala at Lincoln Center, my wife, Susan, suggested we serve the lasagna. It was like having my mom with us that evening.”

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 pounds ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-oz can Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 28-oz can Italian tomato puree
• 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
• 1⁄4 cup minced fresh basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
• 2 16-ounce containers ricotta cheese
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 pound Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the ground beef

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a skillet, brown the ground beef and onions together, then drain the fat. Set the mixture aside.

Step 2: Make a from-scratch meat sauce

Remove the Italian sausage from its casing, crumble it and cook it briefly in a Dutch oven with the minced garlic. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and tomato paste. Season the sauce with basil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Add in the ground beef mixture and stir well. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine the ricotta and eggs in a bowl.

Step 3: Assemble the lasagna

In a 15-inch lasagna pan, place a small amount of sauce on the bottom. Layer 1/4 of the noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1/3 of the grated cheese; cover with 1/4 of the sauce. Repeat the layers twice. Top with the remaining noodles and cover with the remaining meat sauce. Bake for 45 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Buon’ Appetito!