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.

a slice of baked homemade lasagna on a white plate

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.
ingredients for lasagna on a wood board

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!

  1. Boil pasta: In a large pot of salted water boil lasagna noodles per the recipe below.
  2. 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.
  3. Combine cheese mixture: Stir the cheese mixture together in a bowl.
  4. Layer & bake: Layer the meat sauce and cheese mixture with lasagna noodles and bake until the top of the lasagna is golden brown.

Important: Let the Lasagna Rest

Once removed from the oven, let the lasagna sit/rest for at least 15 minutes (up to 45 minutes is fine, it will retain the heat well). This will allow it to thicken up a bit and help it keep its shape when cut. Resting is not required when reheating.

How to Layer Lasagna

  1. Spread about a cup of meat sauce into a 9×13 pan. Add a layer of noodles.
  2. Top the noodles with some of the ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of noodles and sauce
  3. 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.

Easy Homemade Lasagna in a serving dish

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.
pan of the best baked homemade lasagna on a white plate

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!

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baked Easy Homemade Lasagna slice on a plate
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Easy Homemade Lasagna

This homemade lasagna recipe is delicous and easy to make. It features layers of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese with a golden cheesy topping!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings
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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 chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 large egg beaten

Instructions 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • In a separate medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ricotta, parsley, egg, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • 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.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. 
  • 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.
  • Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Video

Notes

*Note on the sauce: In this recipe, each layer has about 1 cup of meat sauce. If you prefer more sauce in your lasagna, increase the pasta sauce to 48 oz. Salt needed may vary based on the brand of pasta sauce used. Taste and season after simmering.
Cheese Layer: The cheese layers are thin; if you’d prefer a thicker layers cheese, divide the cheese in half and put on the first two layers, and add just meat sauce to the third layer. We tested this with extra ricotta cheese and found it overpowered the lasagna. 
Time-Saving Tip:  Use fresh lasagna sheets found in the deli area and skip the boiling step! Fresh lasagna doesn’t need to be boiled first. 
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.
Substitutions:
  • 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).
4.97 from 3108 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 377 | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 857mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 7.4mg | Calcium: 526mg | Iron: 2.2mg

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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baked Easy Homemade Lasagna in the casserole dish with a title
Easy Homemade Lasagna baked in the dish and plated slice with a title

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Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. 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.5 stars

    1. 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.

  2. 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 good5 stars

    1. 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.

  3. 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!5 stars

    1. 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.

      1. 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.

      2. 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.

  4. 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!5 stars

  5. 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)5 stars

  6. 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)5 stars

    1. Your directions of the not boiling the noodles sounds easy, but being a diabetic, that will not work for me. When you boil the noodles prior to making, it takes out some of the starch, (sugar), making it more diabetic friendly. I am sure that a lot of people will love your input. Thanks

  7. 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!5 stars

  8. 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).