Lasagna

Classic homemade lasagna brings together layers of tender noodles, cheesy filling, and a rich meat sauce. A comforting and hearty main dish for the whole family.

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Classic lasagna, made from scratch with tender noodles, cheesy filling, and a rich meaty tomato sauce. This easy homemade lasagna is a comforting and hearty main dish for the whole family.

MORE RECIPES: Ultimate Chicken Casserole | Chicken Parmesan Casserole | Turkey Taco Ring

Lasagna

Homemade lasagna brings together layers of pasta, different cheeses, and a savory meat sauce. Baked until hot and bubbly, no one can resist a delicious slice of lasagna. 

Always a crowd-pleaser, you’ll want to make this from scratch lasagna recipe for your next potluck, party, or large family gathering. Lasagna is a fantastic dish to make ahead of time and stores perfectly in the freezer, either before or after making.

When it comes to sides for your homemade lasagna you can’t go wrong with a fresh green salad and or some glazed carrots. And don’t forget the bread. Breadsticks, garlic bread, or some warm dinner rolls all go wonderfully with your lasagna.  

Lasagna Ingredients

• Lasagna noodles
• Ground beef - lean
• Tomatoes - crushed
• Onion - small diced
• Garlic - minced
• Italian seasoning blend
• Salt
• Pepper - black pepper
• Tomato paste
• Oil - olive oil
• Parsley - fresh parsley, chopped
  Cheese - Ricotta cheese
• Cheese - mozzarella cheese
• Cheese - shredded parmesan cheese
• Egg

The combination of shredded mozzarella and shredded parmesan cheese work deliciously together for this recipe. However, you can also substitute a grated Italian hard cheese blend or even a pecorino romano shredded cheese for the shredded parmesan cheese. For the cheesiest result avoid buying the pre-shredded cheese in a bag and shred your own block of mozzarella cheese.  

If you don’t want to spend the time making the sauce in this recipe you can substitute a quality jarred marinara. If you’re using a jar of sauce you will want to brown your ground beef, drain any excess fat, add your marinara sauce, and then season it with salt and pepper. Let it simmer while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

For a little extra flavor you can make your lasagna using Italian ground sausage in place of the ground beef, or even a combination of 1lb. lean ground beef mixed with 1lb. ground Italian sausage. You could also use ground pork, turkey, or chicken.

How to Make Lasagna

FIRST STEP: In an extra-large skillet (or saucepot), on medium-high heat, add your olive oil, chopped onions, minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to get tender. Push your cooked onions and spices to the side of your skillet and add your ground beef.  

SECOND STEP: Cook your beef for another 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked thoroughly and no pink remains in the meat.  Stir your cooked onions into your cooked beef.  

Drain any excess fat if desired before moving on to the next step.

THIRD STEP: Add the tomato paste to the beef mixture and stir it around until it is completely incorporated.

FOURTH STEP: Add the crushed tomatoes, stir and turn your heat to low to simmer for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of your ingredients. Note: Taste your sauce to see  if you need to add any more salt and pepper.  This is a personal preference as some brands of can tomatoes can be saltier than others.

FIFTH STEP: Once your sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and add the 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and stir.  Set aside until ready to assemble your lasagna.

SIXTH STEP: While your sauce is simmering, boil your lasagna noodles for only 5 minutes.  You want them to just be partially cooked.  Drain the pasta water from the pot and leave your noodles in the warm pot while you are assembling the lasagna.

SEVENTH STEP: In a medium-sized mixing bowl add your ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded parmesan cheese, egg, and fresh chopped parsley. Stir to combine.

EIGHTH STEP: Preheat oven to 350* F.  Lightly spray, with cooking spray, a deep dish 9x13 casserole pan (also known as a lasagna pan).  **If you do not use a deep dish then your lasagna may bubble up and overflow a standard 9x13 pan while cooking in the oven**

NINTH STEP: Layering your lasagna: start by adding 1 ½ -2 cups of sauce into the bottom of the pan and spreading it evenly.  

TENTH STEP: Next add a layer of 5-6 noodles (they should be slightly overlapping and you can trim them to fit your pan).

ELEVENTH STEP: Then you will layer ½ of your cheese filling evenly over the noodle layer.  

TWELFTH STEP: Once your cheese layer is spread out, very gently spoon over 2 cups of sauce.  Do not mix the sauce into the cheese layer, just gently smooth it over.  

THIRTEENTH STEP: Repeat with another layer of noodles, the other half of the cheese mixture, and another 2 cups of sauce.  You will top that with the remaining noodles, then the remaining sauce.  You will top your lasagna with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese.

FOURTEENTH STEP: Cover your lasagna dish with aluminum foil (you can lightly spray your aluminum foil with some cooking spray, on the side that will be facing the cheese to keep the cheese from sticking when baking) and bake it for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until the cheese is lightly golden and bubbly.

FIFTEENTH STEP: Once your lasagna has cooked, allow it to cool on the counter for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 45 minutes, before slicing and serving.  It will still be nice and warm but you will get nice pretty slices (and not a lasagna mess all over your plate) by allowing it to rest and set up.

What kind of lasagna noodles should I use? 

Use regular lasagna noodles for this easy lasagna recipe. You will partially cook them before assembling, and then they will soften up the rest of the way while baking.

Can I make this lasagna vegetarian? 

Yes, you can make the lasagna vegetarian by substituting sauteed spinach, zucchini, and eggplant.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time? 

Easy homemade lasagna can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer before baking. Thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and then bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

How to Store Lasagna 

IN THE FRIDGE:  Store leftover lasagna in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 30-second increments until the desired temperature is reached.

IN THE FREEZER: Make-ahead lasagna can be stored unbaked in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure your casserole dish is in an air-tight container or tightly sealed with plastic wrap. Let the frozen lasagna thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

Lasagna

Classic homemade lasagna brings together layers of tender noodles, cheesy filling, and a rich meat sauce. A comforting and hearty main dish for the whole family.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 pieces

Calories 334 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 (16-ounce box) lasagna noodles

Sauce:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 (28-ounce cans) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup onion, small diced ((1 small))
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced ((2-3 cloves))
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Cheese Mixture:

• 1½ cups ricotta cheese
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

 

• In an extra-large skillet (or saucepot), on medium-high heat, add your olive oil, chopped onions, minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to get tender. Push your cooked onions and spices to the side of your skillet and add your ground beef.
• Cook your beef for another 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked thoroughly and no pink remains in the meat.  Stir your cooked onions into your cooked beef. Drain any excess fat if desired before moving on to the next step.
• Add the tomato paste to the beef mixture and stir it around until it is completely incorporated.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, stir and turn your heat to low to simmer for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of your ingredients. Note: Taste your sauce to see  if you need to add any more salt and pepper.  This is a personal preference as some brands of can tomatoes can be saltier than others.
• Once your sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and add the 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and stir.  Set aside until ready to assemble your lasagna.
• While your sauce is simmering, boil your lasagna noodles for only 5 minutes.  You want them to just be partially cooked.  Drain the pasta water from the pot and leave your noodles in the warm pot while you are assembling the lasagna.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl add your ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded parmesan cheese, egg, and fresh chopped parsley. Stir to combine.
• Preheat oven to 350* F.  Lightly spray, with cooking spray, a deep dish 9x13 casserole pan (also known as a lasagna pan).  **If you do not use a deep dish then your lasagna may bubble up and overflow a standard 9x13 pan while cooking in the oven**
• Layering your lasagna: start by adding 1 ½ -2 cups of sauce into the bottom of the pan and spreading it evenly.
• Next add a layer of 5-6 noodles (they should be slightly overlapping and you can trim them to fit your pan).
• Then you will layer ½ of your cheese filling evenly over the noodle layer.
• Once your cheese layer is spread out, very gently spoon over 2 cups of sauce.  Do not mix the sauce into the cheese layer, just gently smooth it over.
• Repeat with another layer of noodles, the other half of the cheese mixture, and another 2 cups of sauce.  You will top that with the remaining noodles, then the remaining sauce.  You will top your lasagna with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese.
• Cover your lasagna dish with aluminum foil (you can lightly spray your aluminum foil with some cooking spray, on the side that will be facing the cheese to keep the cheese from sticking when baking) and bake it for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until the cheese is lightly golden and bubbly.
• Once your lasagna has cooked, allow it to cool on the counter for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 45 minutes, before slicing and serving.  It will still be nice and warm but you will get nice pretty slices (and not a lasagna mess all over your plate) by allowing it to rest and set up.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 425mg | Iron: 3mg

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