The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe: Layers of Pure Comfort

Layering flavors with precision, this homemade lasagna captures the essence of comfort cooking.

Rich aromas waft through kitchens, promising a culinary adventure.

Generations of passionate cooks have perfected this classic Italian dish.

Cheese, pasta, and robust sauce create a harmonious symphony of taste.

Carefully assembled ingredients dance together in perfect balance.

Tender noodles embrace savory meat and creamy ricotta with delightful intensity.

Savor each bite and let the magic unfold on your plate.

FAQs

• Why do I need to drain the fat after browning the meat?

Draining excess fat prevents the lasagna from becoming greasy and helps concentrate the meat sauce flavors, creating a more rich and balanced dish.

• Can I use no-boil lasagna noodles instead of traditional noodles?

Yes, no-boil noodles work great and save time. Just adjust the liquid content in the recipe slightly to ensure proper noodle hydration during baking.

• What's the purpose of adding an egg to the ricotta mixture?

The egg acts as a binding agent, helping the ricotta hold its shape and create a more cohesive, creamy cheese layer that doesn’t become watery during baking.

• Is it important to let the lasagna rest after baking?

Absolutely. Resting allows the layers to set, makes cutting cleaner, and helps the lasagna maintain its structure when serving, preventing the layers from sliding apart.

Reasons to Love Homemade Lasagna

• Devour Family-Friendly Comfort: This homemade lasagna delivers pure comfort food magic that brings everyone together around the dinner table.
• Slow-Cooked Flavor Bomb: The lengthy 1.5-hour sauce simmering process creates incredibly rich, deeply developed flavors that taste like an authentic Italian grandmother's secret recipe.
• Meal Prep Champion: Perfect for busy families, this lasagna can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, and baked when needed, making weeknight dinners stress-free and delicious.
• Crowd-Pleasing Showstopper: With multiple layers of meat, cheese, and sauce, this dish impresses guests and satisfies hearty appetites, making it ideal for potlucks, family gatherings, and weekend celebrations.

What You Need for Homemade Lasagna

• Ground Beef, Italian Sausage: Rich protein base that gives a hearty and complex meat flavor, choose lean cuts for less grease.
• Onions, Garlic: Aromatic foundation that adds depth and sweetness to the meat sauce, fresh is always best.

• Crushed Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste: Provides tangy base and thick texture for the sauce, San Marzano tomatoes recommended for best flavor.
• Sugar: Balances the acidity of tomatoes, helps round out sauce flavors.
• Parsley, Basil, Italian Seasoning, Fennel Seeds: Herbs and spices that create authentic Italian taste profile.

• Lasagna Noodles: Structural layer of the dish, choose traditional or no-boil varieties depending on preference.
• Ricotta Cheese: Creamy filling that adds moisture and richness, whole milk ricotta gives best texture.
• Mozzarella Cheese, Parmesan Cheese: Melting cheeses that provide golden, stretchy top layer with sharp flavor notes.
• Egg: Binds ricotta mixture, helps create stable cheese layer.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance overall taste of each component.

Classic Homemade Lasagna Layering Steps

Step 1: Fire Up the Meaty Base

Create a rich sauce by browning ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet.

• Ground beef
• Italian sausage
• Onions
• Garlic

Crumble the meat while cooking and drain excess fat.

• Crushed tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste
• Sugar
• Parsley
• Basil
• Italian seasoning
• Fennel seeds
• Salt
• Pepper

Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop deep flavors.

Step 2: Prepare Perfect Pasta

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook lasagna noodles until tender.

Drain and set aside.

Step 3: Whip Up Creamy Cheese Blend

• Ricotta cheese
• Egg
• Parsley
• Salt

Combine ingredients until smooth and set aside.

Step 4: Build Stunning Layers

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Start by spreading a thin meat sauce layer in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

• Lasagna noodles
• Ricotta mixture
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Meat sauce

Repeat layering three times, finishing with meat sauce and extra Parmesan on top.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and continue baking another 25 minutes until cheese turns golden and bubbly.

Step 6: Rest and Serve

Allow lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

This helps layers set and makes serving easier.

Lasagna Layering Tips You Can Trust

• Simmer meat sauce uncovered to naturally reduce liquid and concentrate flavors, creating a thick, rich texture that won't make your lasagna soggy.
• Drain ricotta cheese through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer to remove excess moisture, ensuring a firmer, less runny cheese layer.
• Cook lasagna noodles just until al dente, then immediately rinse with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking, keeping pasta perfectly textured.
• Start and end with meat sauce in the baking dish to create a protective base and topping that seals in moisture and adds extra flavor to each bite.
• Allow lasagna to sit for 15 minutes after baking, which helps layers set, makes cutting cleaner, and allows flavors to meld together beautifully.

Reheat Homemade Lasagna Leftovers

• Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Properly sealed, it will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Wrap individual portions or the entire lasagna tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Label the container with the date to track freshness.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover lasagna with foil to prevent drying. Warm for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp the cheese.
• Cut a single serving and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in 1-minute intervals, checking temperature between each interval. Stir or rotate for even heating to maintain moisture and prevent cold spots.

Salads and Sides for Homemade Lasagna

• Wine Pairing: Select robust red wines like Chianti, Sangiovese, or Barbera that complement the rich, meaty lasagna sauce with their bold flavors and moderate acidity.
• Bread Companion: Serve crispy garlic bread or toasted ciabatta slices to soak up extra sauce and provide a crunchy texture contrast to the creamy lasagna layers.
• Salad Sidekick: Prepare a light arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the lasagna's heaviness, adding freshness and balancing the dish's richness with zesty, peppery greens.
• Dessert Match: Follow with a classic tiramisu or panna cotta to continue the Italian theme, offering a sweet, creamy conclusion that echoes the lasagna's layered complexity.

Homemade Lasagna Layer Alternatives

• Vegetarian Lasagna: Replace ground beef and Italian sausage with plant-based alternatives like lentils, mushrooms, or crumbled tofu. Use vegetable broth instead of meat-based sauce for added depth of flavor.
• Gluten-Free Lasagna: Swap traditional wheat lasagna noodles with gluten-free pasta sheets made from rice or corn. Ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free to accommodate those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
• Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna: Substitute pasta layers with thinly sliced zucchini strips. Keep the cheese mixture and sauce the same for a lighter, vegetable-packed version that reduces carbohydrate content while maintaining rich, hearty flavors.
• Dairy-Free Lasagna: Use cashew ricotta or tofu-based cheese alternatives. Replace mozzarella and Parmesan with nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese substitutes to create a creamy texture suitable for those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies.

Homemade Lasagna Recipe

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4.8 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Layers of rich, savory homemade lasagna promise a culinary journey through Italian comfort food. Melted cheese, hearty meat sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta create a delightful experience you’ll savor with every delicious bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat and Protein:

• 0.5 pounds (226 grams) sweet Italian sausage
• 0.5 pounds (226 grams) lean ground beef
• 1 egg, beaten

Herbs and Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon salt

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Tomato Products:

• 1 (28 ounces/794 grams) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounces/170 grams) can tomato paste

Cheese:

• 15 ounces (425 grams) ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pasta:

• 12 lasagna noodles

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Instructions

1. Prepare the robust meat sauce by browning ground beef and Italian sausage with aromatic onions and garlic in a large skillet. Crumble the meat thoroughly during cooking and drain excess fat.
2. Enhance the sauce with crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Season generously with parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered, developing deep flavors for approximately 90 minutes, stirring periodically.
3. Simultaneously, boil a pot of salted water and cook lasagna noodles until perfectly tender. Drain and set aside to prevent sticking.
4. Craft the creamy cheese mixture by whisking ricotta with egg, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt until smooth and well-incorporated.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and begin layering the lasagna. Create a thin sauce base in a 9×13-inch baking dish, then strategically layer noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
6. Repeat the layering process three times, ensuring each layer is evenly distributed and ending with a generous topping of meat sauce and Parmesan cheese.
7. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese turns golden and slightly bubbling.
8. Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes after baking, which helps the layers stabilize and makes cutting and serving more manageable.

Notes

• Select high-quality ground beef and Italian sausage for richer, more complex flavor profiles that elevate the entire dish.
• Allow meat sauce to simmer slowly, developing deeper taste by breaking down tomatoes and melding spices together perfectly.
• Slightly undercook lasagna noodles during boiling since they’ll continue cooking in the oven, preventing mushy texture and maintaining ideal al dente consistency.
• Layer ingredients evenly to ensure balanced taste and texture in every single bite, distributing cheese and sauce carefully across each layer.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 410
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 33 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg