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.
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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!
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
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
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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 1 cup 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 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
- 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© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This lasagna was absolutely amazing! My sister took over my grandmother‘s recipe and was known for making the best lasagna in the family. I dare not try any other lasagna recipe, lol! However, I tried your recipe and received rave reviews! Thank you so much. As a time saver is it possible to use Ronzoni no boil lasagna noodles?
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit! Yes, many readers have used no boil noodles with no issues.
I would like to make this in a large roasting pan. Can I simply double everything or should I make adjustments. Also, can I omit the meat?
Hi Sandra, to make a double batch, I would recommend two 9×13 pans. If you want to omit the meat you can double up on the ricotta or you could also try our spinach lasagna or our cheesy skillet lasagna!
Thank you for this recipe! I made it last night and it was an amazing hit! My husband is a Chef and he loved it! 🍽️
I made a couple small modifications to this- but this was an absolutely stellar recipe. 10/10 ❤️
For freezing, do you put the top layer of cheese on before you freeze it, or still just add it after you bake it?
I would still add it midway through cooking Diane.
I am confused by the recipe vs the video. The recipe says 12 noodles, the video looks like it only uses 9?
To keep the video short, some duplicated steps may not be shown. Enjoy the recipe!
Family loved it. I didn’t cook my noodles,but I made sure to cover it with foil, bake for 45 min. take off foil, add mozzarella return to oven and bake 10 minutes . it was so easy. Will make again.
This is so AWESOME!!!! Simple, without being plain and tasteless!! I prefer to make my own sauce, but a good pasta sauce will be great, also. Thank you 💕. I made this for a sick neighbor. It should cheer her up a little!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!!
Looking forward to making this for Easter for the fam! Just checking about the tomato sauce – is 36 ounces a volume measurement? or a weight measurement?
Love all your recipes!
So glad you’ve loved the recipes Andy. The sauce is fluid ounces, approximately 1065ml. Let us know how it goes!
Made this lasagna for a pasta Sunday yesterday. I’m still getting compliments! it was so creamy and delicious!!
I used oven ready noodles and this recipe comes out a hit every time I used a little creole seasoning in my meat and I opt in for the spinach in the cheese mixture. I make a separate pan without the cheese mixture and mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese for my daughter she hates ricotta and she loves it as well. Thank you one satisfied belly !
Look forward to trying this recipe. Are any changes to recipe timings required if you use packaged no cook lasagna noodles? Thank you
I have with no changes and it still turns out great, April!
This recipe looks great! I’m looking forward to trying it. Just curious, what pasta sauce do you recommend for this recipe?
I love the flavor of Rao’s but whatever sauce you usually use on your pasta should work well in this recipe.
This recipe slaps so hard, even my picky 8 year old like it. Thank you!!
I have used this recipe for several years. It’s is user friendly and a great dish for holiday get togethers.
Excellent. I used the extra sauce with extra meat also.
Hi Holly, I can’t wait to make this recipe, but I am a little confused about the 2 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. In step four, it says to use
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, ricotta, parsley, egg, and ¼ teaspoon salt, and then use one cup cheese mixture with one cup meat sauce between noodle layers, but step seven said to remove foil and top with 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Do I use the full 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese with the other ingredients in the cheese mixture and reserve some for the final step, or do I use an additional 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese? Thanks, I appreciate your help.
Hi Lisa,
You are correct, the cheese mixture uses the amounts listed in step 4. This cheese mixture goes between the layers (about 1 cup between each layer). Then in step 7, you sprinkle an additional 2½ cups mozzarella cheese mixed with ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
If I make this ahead of time and refrigerate it until I’m ready to bake, do I need to adjust any cook times or anything? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, I would let it sit out on the counter while your oven preheats to warm slightly. But if the lasagna is cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 20 minutes or so of cooking time.
Unable to print the recipe
Hi Peggy, if you scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post, there is a print recipe icon. Click on it. This should make it easy to print the recipe!