Homemade Lasagna is a family favorite and a great way to feed a crowd.
In this classic lasagna recipe, sheets of pasta are layered with a cheesy filling, a rich meaty tomato sauce, and more cheese and then baked until bubbly and browned.
While there are a few steps, this lasagna recipe is relatively easy to make and has so much flavor.
This Is Our Go-To Lasagna Recipe Because…
- This recipe has been called the best by many and has thousands of 5-star reviews!
- It uses simple ingredients that you likely have on hand, and it packs big flavor!
- This is an easy lasagna recipe. It requires just one pan, one bowl, and a 9×13 baking dish.
- It reheats well and can be made ahead of time. You can freeze lasagna either before or after baking.
Lasagna Ingredients
- Cheese Filling: For this classic lasagna recipe, the cheese filling has ricotta and parmesan with seasonings. You can make homemade ricotta cheese or replace it with cottage cheese.
- Meat: I use both Italian sausage and ground beef for great flavor. If using all beef, add ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds and some Italian seasoning to the meat mixture for flavor, or make my homemade Italian sausage.
- Sauce: To keep this sauce quick, I use pasta sauce or marinara sauce (it’s easy to make from scratch with crushed tomatoes and canned tomatoes if you’d prefer). If using store-bought sauce, I love Rao’s for flavor.
Spinach (variation): Spinach is optional but delicious in lasagna. For spinach lasagna, thaw 10oz of frozen spinach, squeeze out the moisture, and add it along with the cheese layer.
How to Make Lasagna
While homemade lasagna may have a few steps, each step is easy – and I assure you it’s worth the time; the perfect Italian meal!
- Boil pasta: In a large pot of salted water boil lasagna noodles per the recipe below.
- Prepare meat sauce: Cook sausage and beef with onion and garlic. Drain well, add the pasta sauce (I love this brand) & simmer it for a few minutes to thicken.
- Combine cheese mixture: Stir the cheese mixture together in a bowl.
- Layer & bake: Layer the meat sauce and cheese mixture with lasagna noodles and bake until the top of the lasagna is golden brown.
How to Layer Lasagna
- Spread about a cup of meat sauce into a 9×13 pan. Add a layer of noodles.
- Top the noodles with some of the ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of noodles and sauce
- Cover with foil and bake. Remove foil, top with mozzarella and parmesan, and bake for another 15 minutes.
Once you have prepared the meat sauce and the cheese mixture, you’re ready to layer. This is the order of layers:
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- noodles – sauce (bake) – cheese
Serve with a big slice of homemade Garlic Bread and garnish with fresh basil or a couple of tablespoons of parsley. Finish the meal with a Caesar salad or Italian salad.
Holly’s Tips for the Best Lasagna
Here are my tips to ensure this is the best lasagna recipe you’ve ever had!
- Choose a quality pasta sauce.
- Bake this lasagna recipe for one hour.
- Cover it with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out.
- Add the cheese during the last 15 minutes of cooking so it becomes browned and bubbly.
- Let it rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Make Ahead
Lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. It can also be frozen before or after baking.
To Freeze Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the best meals to make ahead and freeze. Double or triple the recipe and store it tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. If the lasagna is cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 20 minutes or so of cooking time.
How To Reheat Lasagna
If you’ve frozen leftovers, pop them in the oven at 350°F covered until reheated. This should take about 30 minutes! Of course, leftovers are perfectly heated in the microwave too!
More Baked Pasta Recipes
Did you enjoy this Homemade Lasagna? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Homemade Lasagna
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese shredded and divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt more to taste
Tomato Sauce
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 36 ounces pasta sauce *see note
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
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Meanwhile, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the beef, sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
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Stir in the pasta sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and season with additional salt if desired.
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In a separate medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ricotta, parsley, egg, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
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Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce in a 9×13 pan or casserole dish. Top it with 3 lasagna noodles. Layer with ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of meat sauce. Repeat twice more. Finish with 3 noodles topped with remaining sauce.
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Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
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Remove the foil and sprinkle the top of the lasagna with the remaining 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Broil for 2-3 minutes if desired.
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Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Video
Notes
- Ricotta cheese can be replaced with cottage cheese.
- Use all beef (or even ground turkey) in place of sausage if needed. If using all beef, add ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning to the meat (and ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds if desired).
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
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easy, worth every bite
Excellent recipe! I did add a tiny bit more mozzarella cheese. We tried it with the mixed sausage and hamburger and it was perfect. Definitely would make again.
watching the video only shows using 9 noodles but recipe calls for 12. ??
Hi Claire, in step 5 it explains it a little better. But we do three layers (noodle, ricotta, sauce) and then top it with the final 3 noodles and remaining sauce to finish off the lasagna. I hope that helps.
I had made this lasagna one time before and it came out really good and I made it a second time and I think I put in a little too much mozzarella cheese which made it a little running, but all in all it still taste good
How far in advance can I make this if I don’t want to freeze it please? Thank you
You can prepare it up to 2 days in advance in the refrigerator.
can I use oven ready noodles?
This would work with oven ready lasagna noodles however I can’t say for sure how to adjust the recipe, it can vary slightly from brand to brand. You may need to thin the sauce a tiny bit. I would suggest looking at the directions for the sauce on the package and making sure you have as much sauce as suggested.
I always use oven ready and it works perfect every time. This is a big hit!
Made for family memorial service and everyone loved it. Doubled the recipe to make two. Also made your sauce. Portion layers were perfect. I’m making again today for family dinner. Great easy lasagna!
Awesome and easy!
Went a little over board with the Italian seasoning, but other than that delicious
Can you freeze this? If so what would I bake it at from the freezer?
Yes you can, this info is also in the post!
To Freeze Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the best meals to make ahead and freeze. Double or triple the recipe and store it tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. If the lasagna is cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 20 minutes or so of cooking time.
Hi Holly,
I’m making ahead of time and freezing for a girls weekend. I did read your post that you can freeze it however, do I still cook it then freeze it, then take it out of the freezer and thaw it and put it back in the oven to heat, or do you recommend I not cook it before I put it in the freezer? So another words should I make it today and put it directly in the freezer to be cooked at a later time when I’m going to eat it? Thank you- it looks delicious.
This recipe is very versatile. You can pre-bake it or freeze it unbaked. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. If the lasagna is cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 20 minutes or so of cooking time.
So easy to make and it is so delicious.
A 5 star hit with our extended family and straightforward instructions. I doubled the beef and sausage and added spinach and fresh basil. 100% recommend!
Amazing recipe to follow
Love this recipe. I use it all the time. Using Roa’s tomato sauce makes it great.
I made this and it was a HIT! it was soooo good, i didn’t have parsley, so I just left it out. I used Hunts canned tomato sauce (half original, half four cheese). I also add just a splash of fish sauce for umami (maybe a tsp for the whole pot of sauce)
I will try to bake my own lasagna.
Excellent
This is a great recipe! I follow it exactly except I don’t boil the noodles ahead of time. If you bake the lasagne covered for one hour, then uncover and add the cheese for another 15 minutes, then let it rest, the noodles are cooked completely through. ( and, I don’t buy the no boil noodles either)
The recipe needs to explain the ricotta mix, because on the recipe itself it says only three ingredients, but on step 4 they add in more ingredients. Thanks!
Best lasagna I’ve ever made
Low-Carb Tip: Use low carb tortillas instead of lasagna noodles. Just cut them into approximately the width of regular lasagna noodles and arrange them on each “pasta” layer. They should not be boiled first, they will absorb moisture while baking and are virtually indistinguishable from regular lasagna noodles in the finished product.
Everything else in the recipe is low carb (just pay attention to the sugar in any pasta sauce you use).
Thank you for sharing that tip, Michael!