This delicious Homemade Classic Italian Lasagna is easier to make than you think. Whether hosting dinner for a crowd or wanting a dish that’s great for meal prepping, this recipe is one you’ll want to make time and time again.
Easy Lasagna Recipe
Have you ever thought about making lasagna but just didn’t know where to start, or wondered if it would be as good as the kind you get at a fine Italian restaurant? I completely understand, but this recipe has got you covered! Not only is this one of the easiest lasagna recipes, it’s also truly one of the most delicious lasagnas you will ever try.
Filled with homemade meat sauce, ooey gooey cheeses and Italian seasoning, this warm and comforting lasagna is the perfect dish to serve for any special occasion or just for a regular weeknight at home with the family.
If your family loves pasta as much as mine, you should also try this Skillet Lasagna and this Baked Ziti with Sausage. Both are pasta favorites that are always a big hit.
Why We Love this Traditional Lasagna Recipe
- Crowd pleaser: Everyone loves cheesy and meaty pasta. Even your picky eaters will be asking for seconds of this lasagna.
- Makes a lot: The recipe makes 12 generous servings, so it’s perfect for potluck or covered dish get-togethers when you need to feed a lot of people.
- Great for a make ahead dish: This recipe is a great way to get a jump on cooking. You can assemble this dish the night before and allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight, then just bake it the next evening. It’s even better when cooked the next day!
- Freezer friendly: This easy lasagna recipe freezes well. Make a batch or two to have on hand for those busy weeknights.
What’s Needed to Make this Classic Lasagna Recipe
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Fresh garlic clove
- Olive oil
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Sugar
- Italian seasoning
- Mozzarella cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Large egg
- Lasagna pasta
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Homemade Lasagna
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Step One: Brown Ground Beef
- In a large skillet add the olive oil. Over medium heat, sauté onion and brown meat.
- Drain the extra oil and then add minced garlic. Cook until fragrant.
- Drain tomatoes, if using whole tomato, put in a bowl and break them up with your hands.
- Add tomato to the ground beef.
- Add sugar and cook until bubbly.
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook noodles according to package directions
Step One: Make Filling
- To a large bowl, add ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and 1 egg and mix until combined.
Step Three: Layer Ingredients in Casserole Dish
- In a 9 x 13 lasagna pan or casserole dish, put a layer of sauce. Then add a layer of lasagna noodles on top then layer more meat sauce. After the meat sauce layer, the ricotta cheese mixture and top with mozzarella cheese. Then, add a layer of noodles, then meat sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining sauce and add a final layer of cheeses on top of the sauce.
- Place in oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly
Store leftovers in airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
Tips and Variations for the Best Lasagna
- Add some hot Italian sausage to the ground beef for a little bit of a spicy kick.
- Ground turkey, ground chicken and even a combination of several proteins can be used in this sauce.
- If you prefer, you can use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. The texture will be slightly different, but it works as a great substitute.
- If you want to enhance the tomatoes flavors, you can add some crushed tomatoes, tomato paste or tomato sauce in addition to the canned tomatoes. Be careful when adding more liquids so that you don’t add too much.
- You can add in some vegetables to the recipe too! Mushrooms, eggplant and zucchini, are all wonderful options.
- If you prefer creamier pasta sauces, you can add a little heavy cream to the tomato and meat mixture.
- This recipe calls for you to boil lasagna noodles before adding them to the casserole. But you can also use no bake noodles, if you prefer. They are called oven-ready noodles on the package.
- This recipe calls for about 3 cups of mozzarella cheese, but you can mix up the cheese by adding half mozzarella and half provolone.
Absolutely! Once your lasagna has cooled to room temperature, wrap it really well with a layer of plastic wrap. Gently press the wrap against the top surface of lasagna.
Then a layer for aluminum foil around it and label it with the date it was prepared.
If you want to freeze leftovers into individual portion sizes, just make sure you are storing them in an airtight container. Place a small piece of cling wrap, inside the container, against the pasta to help prevent freezer burn.
Adding an egg to your ricotta mixture makes the cheese layer nice and creamy. It also acts as a binder to the different layers helping hold it together when you slice it.
If you have ever cut into a lasagna right after taking it from the oven, then you probably experienced a bit of a runny and gooey mess. While it still tastes amazing, you may be looking for a bit of a better presentation.
Thats why is it recommended that you let it sit for about 15 minutes before making that first slice. This gives the cheese and sauce time to set up a little. Just those few extra minutes will help you to have nice. clean slices of lasagna.
Want More Casserole Recipes?
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Pizza Casserole
- Frito Pie Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
Classic Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 30 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 24 oz mozzarella cheese grated (can use more)
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 16 oz box lasagna pasta you will only need about 15 noodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pan, in olive oil sauté onion and brown meat.
- Drain the extra oil and then add minced garlic. Cook until fragrant.
- Drain tomatoes, if using whole tomato, put in a bowl and break them with your hands.
- Add tomato to the ground beef.
- Add sugar and cook until bubbly.
- Boil water and cook noodles.
- To a large bowl, add ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and 1 egg and mix until combined.
- In a 9×13 pan, put your a layer of sauce. Then lay the lasagna noodles on top then layer more meat sauce. After the meat sauce layer the ricotta cheese mixture and top with mozzarella cheese. Then, add a layer of noodles, then meat sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella. Add
- Add another layer of noodles, sauce and cheeses.
- Place in oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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