by Holly
Homemade Lasagna is a classic that every cook should have in their rotation. Tender sheets of pasta, a cheese filling, and a rich meaty tomato sauce make the perfect dish!
While there are a few steps to this recipe, it’s easy to make and has huge flavor. This dish can be made ahead of time and freezes well either before or after baking!
How to Make Lasagna
Homemade lasagna may have a few steps, but each step is easy – and I assure you it’s worth the time; the perfect Italian meal!
The ingredients in this recipe are all things you know and it’s not difficult at all! All you’ll need for this easy lasagna recipe is one pan, one bowl, and a 9×13 baking dish!
A quick overview of the layers:
- Cheese Filling Mix the ricotta and cheeses (per recipe below) with an egg in a bowl, and set aside. No ricotta? No problem, cottage cheese works just fine in this recipe!
- Meat Sauce Brown the onion, garlic, and meat in a pot on the stovetop. Add the pasta sauce and tomato paste & simmer a few minutes.
- Layer Together Layer the meat sauce and cheese mixture with noodles and bake until bubbling
SPINACH LASAGNA To make a spinach lasagna, squeeze out most of the moisture of defrosted frozen spinach and add it along with the cheese layer. Lasagna ingredients don’t have to be limited to the ones you see here.
Substitute meats or different cheeses, or try different meat sauce variations.
How to Layer Lasagna
Once you have prepared the meat sauce and cheeses, you’re ready to layer. This is the order of layers:
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- sauce – noodles – cheese
- noodles – sauce (bake) – cheese
- Spread about a cup of meat sauce into a 9×13 pan. Add a layer of noodles.
- Top the noodles with some of the 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 another 15 minutes.
How Long to Bake
Baking time lasagna for this recipe is about one hour total. To get that perfect browned cheese topping, you’ll need to bake it in two stages.
- Layer, cover it tightly in foil to retain the moisture.
- Once cooked, remove the foil, top with cheese, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the top is browned and your easy lasagna is bubbling.
Important Tip: Let the lasagna sit/rest for at least 15 minutes once removed from the oven (even 30-45 minutes is fine). This will keep it from becoming runny and help it to keep its shape when cut.
Resting is not required when reheating.
Serve this easy lasagna with a chunk of Homemade Garlic Bread.
We love serving a classic lasagna dinner, complete with a caesar salad or Italian salad and dinner rolls slathered in Homemade Garlic Butter. It’s the world’s best meal!
Make Ahead
Lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated up to 2 days before baking. It can also be frozen before or after baking.
To Freeze
Lasagna is one of the best meals to make ahead and freeze. Double or triple the recipe and freeze some for another day. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
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 Italian Favorites
- Spaghetti Carbonara – quick
- Chicken Lasagna – 5 star recipe
- Baked Rigatoni Pasta
- Baked Ziti
- Easy Chicken Parmesan – personal favorite
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
Did you enjoy this Homemade Lasagna? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Homemade Lasagna
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded and divided
Tomato Sauce
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- 1 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
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
- Brown beef, sausage, onion and garlic over medium high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in pasta sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Make Cheese Mixture by combining 1 ½ cups mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ricotta, parsley, and egg.
- Add 1 cup meat sauce to a 9x13 pan. Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Layer with ⅓ of the Cheese Mixture and 1 cup of meat sauce. Repeat twice more.Finish with 3 noodles topped with remaining sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes.
- Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese (2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan), and bake an additional 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Broil 2-3 minutes if desired.
- Rest 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
