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.
Can this recipe be frozen?
Yes! As mentioned in the post, “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.” Enjoy, Randy!
Definitely it’s a very easy recipe I used no cook noodles for a quick meal lasagna dinner for the family
OMG!! The absolute BEST RECIPE!!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Always a crowd pleaser and never complicated. I’m currently making this ahead of time for my bestie since she’s a new parent and loves this recipe. If time permits, I will make my own homemade marinara, but so far there have been no complaints using the jarred stuff.
Oh my gosh! This is amazing! Our son is visiting and this is his favorite dish so I had to make it. I give it a 10!
I used the Rao”s sauce because I like it and used 1/2 beef an 1/2 Italian sausage. I also used f2 eggs as it looked a bit dry with the one. Everything else the same.
This is a definite keeper. I will be checking your web site for more recipe!
Fantastic! No notes.
This was the best lasagna I have ever had. Like someone had suggested, I use Rao brand sauce and no cook noodles. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re very welcome Kim! I’m so happy to hear that the lasagna was such a hit for you!
Can you use oven ready lasagna sheets? and just don’t boil first?
Many readers have successfully used oven ready noodles with no other changes! Let us know how it goes!
I find using a bit more sauce is necessary when using the no boil lasagna noodles. I used1 1/2 cups per layer and let it sit a half hour before baking to soften the noodles. It was perfect! Thank you for the great recipe.
Delicious lasagna recipe!
This is my go to lasagna recipe. Love the ingredients, especially the parsley. I really enjoy your videos too!
There are simpler recipes, but none taste as good as this one. If you have a garden, grow tomatoes, and make your own red sauce I recommend putting the onion, garlic, tomato paste, all seasonings including salt and pepper in your instapot or crock pot or whatever you use to make your marinara/ red sauce with. If you do it this way, this instantly becomes the easiest lasagna recipe that tastes like a Michelin restaurant. This recipe is amazing.
So outstanding recipe! If it has chicken recipe, that I will try .
So glad you loved it! You can find my chicken lasagna here or brows my chicken recipes here.
This is the perfect lasagna. I’ve made this exact recipe so many times, and it comes out just right every time!! The portions are spot on, every layer is even and covered in cheese and sauce… listen, I despise a dry lasagna, haha! The bake time is just right, it cuts beautifully and I don’t even have to adjust the seasonings. We cheat and just use one jar of Italian sausage pasta sauce in the mix and then a whole pound of ground beef. Cooking lasagna used to seem like such a task, but the simplicity of this recipe leaves me feeling so rewarded.. not to mention the taste! Thank you so much for this recipe, and many others! I’ve never written a review before, but this recipe definitely deserves one! <3
Making this tomorrow to take to my sisters-in-law for dinner, along with salad, garlic bread, and lemon squares. She just got out of the hospital. Comfort food – Can’t wait to try…Thank you, sub with cottage cheese – we don’t like ricotta.
I can’t wait for you to try it Kim!
Hi! If I use my homemade sauce should I still add the tomato paste?
Yes, if using a homemade pasta sauce you will still add the remaining tomato sauce ingredients.
I’m confused with the cheese quantities. Under ingredients you have 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Then under cheese mixture you have 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Am I missing something?
The remaining cheese is used in step 7 to top the lasagna. I hope this helps Dana.
This is my second time making this recipe and my family loves it. The first time I made it, I used ground chicken…yum!
I am so happy to hear this is a hit with your family Heather!
I have made this before and it was quickly a family favorite. making it again tonight ! do you think i could make it now, refrigerate and bake it later on? would it take longer to cook?
Yes you can make it ahead. Place it on the counter 30-60 minutes before cooking, you may need to add an extra 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time if it is chilled from the fridge.