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 post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
Recipe looks delicious. I’m going to make it this weekend for company, however, they do not eat meat. If I am leaving out the ground beef and turkey, do any of the measurements need adjusting? Thank you!
You could add in some veggie crumbles, or simply leave it out. While I haven’t tried it, I’d expect you wouldn’t need to change anything. Enjoy Judy!
Amazing. Really good directions, thank you so much. I quite enjoyed the flavour and will use again. I had made the sauce two days before and on the day of making just heated up the beef and added to it. It think this helped to not make it so runny as I have had when I made it same day. I will definitely do that again.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it so much!
Absolutely love it !!!!!!!!! the steps are easy to follow,. I made this over the winter twice, for the family & then on a friend’s ski trip. AWESOME !! Now making it for mother’s day. I look forward to it for left overs as well.
-I’d recommend, just a cheap tin container to cook it in .
-it really helped to precook the meat / sauce the night before. let the meat soak in those juices & sauces. Let it simmer & simmer , just like a good chili. Cook night before & then warm it up next day & then make your layers.
My husband loved it…Made the Lasagna for dinner last nite. This was my first time Ever to make an easy home made Lasagna. I love the cheesiness, I used Marinara sauce. I love it…we’re having left overs tonite. Thank you, sure glad I stumble on your site. Love It!!
So happy that you and your husband love this lasagna so much Miites!
Great recipe! Can I assemble now and cook it later?
As mentioned in the post Alicia, lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated up to 2 days before baking. It can also be frozen before or after baking. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. Enjoy!
I try the recipe loved it I put half of veal and ground pork with Italian seasonings .and salt pepper and garlic mixed. It was delicious
Made this a few weeks ago. It was the best Lasange recipe i have ever made! Hands down! My husband loved it and raves about it to our family of adult children they all wanted the recipe lol and My youngest daughter made it tonight for her family and they also agree it is the best! I am making it again this week. Thank you for such a easy no fail recipe!!!
You are so very welcome Cindy! I love hearing how much it has been enjoyed by your extended family!
I made the homemade Lasagna, the best lasagne we have had I will make it again and again. we live in South Africa and there are some ingredients we can’t get but It was easy to find them for the lasagna.
So happy to hear that Liz!
They good
Made this for my dad who’s home sick with covid and he called to tell me how delicious it was. Thank you for sharing this recipe !!
You’re so very welcome Theresa! So happy that your dad loved the lasagna. Wishing him a speedy recovery!
Just tried making this and a disaster was had. Ratio for meat is completely off.
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the lasagna Tara. I’m surprised, as we love it, as do most readers. What went wrong with the lasagna? Did you watch the video?
It’s amazing! Don’t mind Karen, I mean Tara, there is always going to be one in the group. Bravo! deliziosa! Buono! Squisito! And, of course, grazie!!
Prego!!
The ratio for meat to layers is entirely off…I agree with Tara. Nightmare.
Did you watch the video? You can see the layers there, and they do work well for this lasagna. What was a nightmare about the recipe?
Great recipe. Easy to understand the directions! Some whacky comments, I have noticed. I did increase the pasta sauce and added some red pepper flakes – my husband likes it meaty and a little spicy. Very easy recipe and delicious. Thank you!
You are welcome Kim!! So glad you love the lasagna!
Could you use onion powder and garlic powder instead of having to chop up the real things? Thank you
While we haven’t done that, I don’t see why not Jimmy! Enjoy the lasagna!
I made this lasagna to use the fresh ricotta I had. I also used our canned garden pasta sauce from last fall. Other than that, I followed the recipe.
This lasagna was delicious! My husband ate a third of the tray and a friend said, I took one bite and I’m already in heaven!
Holly, thank you for this delicious recipe with easy-to-find, everyday ingredients. I’m bookmarking it!
You are so very welcome Irene! You made my day. So happy to know that everyones loves the lasagna so much!
There wasn’t nearly enough of the cheese mixture to layer more than twice – which is OK cuz everything came to the very top of the pan anyway. So I was only able to use 6 noodles- not 12. That would have been impossible. It still tasted good, though.
Thank you Thank you THANK YOU for the easy breakdown of the layers!! I got to ricotta on the top and was like WHAT DO I DO?!?! I SCREWED UP! But alas it was fine.
No oven temperature listed in instructions , otherwise delicious
Instruction number 1 says “Heat oven to 350°F.” Hope that helps Carlvette.
First time making lasagna and this was a simple and delicious receipe!
This turned out great! I’d never made lasagna before and everyone loved it.
This was easy and so delicious. Even my kids who are extremely picky loved it. My husband thought it might be the best homemade lasagna he’s ever had. I made it with the extra sauce and was not disappointed. I really think the sausage adds a nice flavor along with the ground beef. Thanks for the great recipe as always!
This recipe was so delicious and easy!! I will be using it again