This easy Lasagna Recipe is meaty, cheesy, saucy, and packed with flavor in every bite. Homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version, and it feeds a crowd for way less than going out to eat.
My love for lasagna runs deep, and I’ve heard over and over from our readers that this is the best lasagna recipe they’ve ever made.
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Lasagna Video
In this video, I’ll show you how to make this classic Lasagna Recipe. It’s the best lasagna we have tried, with the perfect balance of meat sauce to three-cheese sauce and noodles. That golden cheese crust seals in all the flavor and makes it irresistible.
Seriously the Best Lasagna!
We love lasagna around here and have gotten creative over the years with Lasagna Soup, Chicken Lasagna, and even Chocolate lasagna (does that count?).
Lasagna is the perfect meal, and of all of the recipes I’ve tried over the years, this is the perfect lasagna. We loved it so much, we even turned it into Lasagna Roll Ups and Zucchini Lasagna (which is gluten-free). It’s flavorful and satisfying but also easy to make.
In our house, lasagna is a staple for busy school nights because it keeps, reheats, and freezes so well, and it’s nice to have something in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week. I even use it for kids’ lunches—I pack a serving in my son’s thermos to keep it hot, and that thermos comes home empty every time.
Ingredients for Lasagna
This 3-cheese lasagna is the ultimate comfort food, and the ingredients are refrigerator and pantry staples. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
- Ground beef – We used 80/20 beef (20% fat content) for a juicier lasagna but a lean ground beef is perfectly acceptable. You can also sub half of the beef with Italian sausage for variety.
- Onion – we use yellow onion, or sweet onion works well
- Garlic cloves – you can add more if you love garlic
- Red wine – This amps up the flavor of your sauce (do not use cooking wine). You can sub wine with beef broth or stock.
- Marinara sauce – Use homemade marinara or store-bought.
- Dried thyme – Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano can be substituted
- Sugar – balances the acidity of the tomatoes
- Parsley – flat-leaf or curly parsley works well
- Lasagna noodles – Cook these al dente; they’ll continue to soften as the lasagna bakes. You can also use no-boil noodles.
- Cottage cheese – adds great texture and moisture.
- Ricotta cheese – we use low-fat or part-skim ricotta
- Mozzarella cheese – An Italian cheese blend works, but mozzarella is definitely the classic choice
- Egg – helps hold the cheese layer together
Pro Tip for Lasagna Noodles:
Use a very large pot of salted water to boil the lasagna noodles and stir them several times, especially right after adding them to the pot. This will keep them from sticking to each other and tearing.
How to Make the Meat Sauce
If you’d like to get a head start on this recipe, you can make the meat sauce a day or two in advance. That said, it’s still easy enough to make it all in one go, even for a weeknight dinner.
- Brown the beef – Add oil to a deep pan and sautee onion and beef until browned, 5 minutes then add garlic and stir another minute.
- Finish the sauce – Pour in 1/4 cup of wine and stir until almost evaporated. Add marinara, salt, pepper, thyme, sugar, and parsley; bring to a simmer, then cover and cook the tomato sauce 5 minutes.
How to Make the Cheese Sauce
- Make the cheese filling – Combine all the cheese sauce ingredients and 1 cup of mozzarella in a mixing bowl (reserve the rest for later).
How to Make Lasagna
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 375ºF and cook the lasagna noodles in a pot of well-salted water until al dente, then drain and pour in cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Assemble – Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Add 3 noodles, followed by 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella, and half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat, then for the top layer, add 3 noodles, 1/3 of the meat sauce, and the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake – Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned.
- Rest – Let the lasagna rest for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Pro Tip to Prevent Cheese Sticking:
There’s nothing worse than having the top portion of cheese stuck to the foil. To prevent this, I poke 8-10 toothpicks evenly around the top of the lasagna, pushing them in halfway to keep the foil from touching the cheese. Just be sure to count and remove every toothpick prior to serving.
Which is better for lasagna, cottage cheese or ricotta?
I use both; cottage cheese is healthier, and ricotta is creamier, so you get the best of both worlds by using both of these cheeses in your lasagna. I admit cottage cheese isn’t traditional for Italian lasagna, so if that upsets you, you’ll love the classic Italian-style lasagna in my Cookbook!
What is “al dente”?
Cooking al dente pasta means it should be “firm to the bite.” The package instructions will provide the cook time for pasta to reach al dente. Keep in mind, the lasagna will be baked for 45 minutes so it’s better if your noodles are undercooked.
What is the best marinara sauce for lasagna?
Homemade marinara is definitely best, but if you don’t have time to make it, use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce. A high-quality sauce like Rao’s is a good bet, but here’s a fun article about the best Marinara Sauces.
Can I double the lasagna recipe?
Yes, you can easily double this recipe, but you’ll need to bake the lasagna in two pans unless you have a freakishly large casserole dish. Doubling the recipe is a nice way to make one ahead (stash it in the freezer, or share it with someone).
What to Serve with Lasagna
Lasagna is a satisfying meal on its own, but if you’re feeding a big crowd, you can stretch it out by serving it with:
Make-Ahead and Storage
Here’s everything you need to know about storing lasagna for later.
- To Refrigerate: You can assemble the lasagna and store it covered in the refrigerator for a day or two until you are ready to bake.
- Freezing: Lasagna can be frozen before or after baking. Either way, it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months when wrapped well or stored in an airtight container.
- To Reheat: Thaw frozen lasagna in the refrigerator first; this reduces the time needed for baking and ensures more even heating. Bake according to the recipe instructions; if your lasagna was already baked and you’re simply reheating it, cover the baking dish with foil and reheat at 350ºF until warmed through.
- Slow Cooker Lasagna – this is one of our favorite ways to make dinner ahead of time.
With its meaty sauce and layers of cheese, we think you’ll agree that this is the best lasagna recipe ever!
More Italian Pasta Recipes
If you love this lasagna, then you won’t want to miss these pasta recipes:
- Baked Ziti (Easy Pasta Casserole)
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Creamy Baked Feta Pasta
- Mom’s Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Stuffed Shells
- Manicotti
Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Lasagna
- 1 lb ground beef, (15-20% fat content)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry red wine, or beef broth
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 24 oz Marinara Sauce , (3 cups)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
Ingredients for Cheese Sauce:
- 16 oz low-fat cottage cheese
- 15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
Instructions
How to Make Meat Sauce:
- Place a deep pan or dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 lb ground beef and diced onion. Saute, breaking up the meat, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Add pressed garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant.
- Add 1/4 cup wine and stir for 2 minutes or until wine is nearly evaporated. Add 3 cups marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 Tbsp parsley. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook 5 minutes.
How to Make Cheese Sauce:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 16 oz Cottage Cheese, 15 oz Ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 egg and 2 Tbsp parsley. Mix well.
How to Make Lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and 9 lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente according to package instructions then drain and pour in cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce in the bottom of a deep 9×13 casserole dish. Add 3 noodles, spread on 1/3 of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon on and spread the top with 1/2 of your cheese sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles.
- Poke 9-12 toothpicks over the surface of your lasagna (to keep the foil from sticking to the cheese). Cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese turns golden. Let lasagna rest 30 min before slicing.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Can I substitute garlic salt and skip the table salt if I have no garlic?
Hi MaryAnn! I think that could work, but you’ll need to add it to taste.
Natasha,
What size dish do you use for this lasagna size?
Hi Anna! See step 2 in the recipe card under assembling the lasagna. It’s a 9×13” casserole dish.
Hi, I love your recipes. I was wondering if I am not using cottage cheese do I use more ricotta cheese. Thanks, Mary
Hello Mary! Yes, you can use more ricotta cheese to compensate, but remember that ricotta is smoother and creamier compared to cottage cheese so you might want to increase the ricotta slightly. Hope you enjoy it!
Great recipe I used gluten free noodles it turned out perfect thanks
This is recipe in your new cookbook? It’s really hard to work from a phone. I need to print this out or have it in the book. Thanks.
Hi Paula, The print friendly recipe is at the bottom of each post. Once you scroll there, click on the print icon in that recipe card which will open a print screen, then you would need to click file —> print. I hope that helps! If not, please let me know exactly what steps you are taking and where you are navigating to print our recipes.
I think you’ll also love the lasagna recipe in the cookbook. It’s a little different than this version, but so yummy!
If you use no boil noodles, don’t you have to use more liquid?
Hi Georigana! I haven’t tested this with no bake noodles. Many of my viewers reported good results. Some added more sauce, others didn’t.
learning to use home made pasta noodles. Do I cook the noodles first for this recipe or use uncooked noodles?
Hi there! That’s great to hear that you’re testing homemade noodles. I haven’t made this with homemade noodles, but since they are fresh and softer than dry pasta, you shouldn’t need to boil them first. They should cook in the oven as the lasagna bakes and absorb moisture from the sauce.
Looks like so much fun to make!
This is hands down the best lasagna recipe I’ve ever tried! The combination of the meaty sauce, three cheeses, and perfectly cooked noodles creates an irresistible dish. It’s easy to make, and the tips provided, like using toothpicks to prevent cheese from sticking to the foil, are super helpful. Perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying throughout the week. Highly recommend giving it a try.
5 star recipe all the way!! Anyone who has ever said they don’t like lasagna, tries this when make it and absolutely loves it!! This is part of our dinner rotation for sure; family loves and requests it often. Thank you for sharing!!
I made this for our evening meal but didn’t cook it straightaway as hubby was going to football practise with our grandsons. I made a small one for my daughter and my husband has taken both of them to football practice so I can’t get it in the oven until he gets back. I can’t wait to try it. Men! I just knew he’d get muddled up. I’ll let you know what we think later when I eventually get to eat it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Susan! I hope everyone loves it!
This is definitely a five-star recipe. Everyone in our family loves it; the ingredients are common in the pantry; it reheats well; and it’s economical to serve to a crowd.
I’m so glad your family loves it! Thanks for the feedback!
Delicious! Added half beef half hot Italian sausage for a bit of spicy. Soooo good – thank you for posting.
You’re very welcome! I’m happy you love this recipe.
Hi natasha can I use creamchees instead of the ricotta cheese if I dnt have
Hi Tricia! They’re not quite the same, but it may work. You could also just use cottage cheese in place of ricotta.
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes. I made this by the instructions, but added a bit of bechemal sauce along with a mix of provolone/mozzarella/ Parmesan.It was wonderful!
I’d love to hear how you incorporated the béchamel sauce. Sounds amazing!
I made this lasagna yesterday, and two people said it was “the best they have ever had!” Thanks for making me look good! And, as ever, you are adorable in the video!!!
That’s wonderful to hear, Karen! Thank you for the review.
I love this recipe. I use lots of basil (dried) in my sauce and whole milk ricotta. I’m Italian American 😂 love your cookbook that I treated myself too. Thank you for sharing your recipes. 🫶