A hearty, layered Italian-American casserole built with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and bubbling melted cheese. It is the ultimate comfort food and a crowd-pleasing centerpiece for any family dinner.
Serve alongside a simple green salad and warm garlic bread for a complete meal. Allow the lasagna to cool completely before covering. Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 9 lasagna noodles (dry, oven-ready, or fresh)
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 24 oz marinara sauce (or one large jar)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 9 lasagna noodles (dry, oven-ready, or fresh)
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 24 oz marinara sauce (or one large jar)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven and prepare baking dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or nonstick spray.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish, oven
Cook lasagna noodles (if not using oven-ready)
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
Cook the noodles until just al dente, then drain.
Lay noodles flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet to prevent sticking. Skip if using oven-ready noodles.
Equipment: large pot, baking sheet, colander
Prep the aromatics
Finely dice the yellow onion.
Mince the garlic cloves.
Equipment: cutting board, chef's knife
Sauté the onion
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Add the minced cloves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Brown the ground beef
Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
Cook until fully browned with no pink remaining.
Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Build and simmer the meat sauce
Stir in the tomato paste, marinara sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Make the ricotta mixture
Finely chop the fresh parsley.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Equipment: medium bowl, cutting board, chef's knife, spoon
Combine the cheese blend
In a small bowl, toss together the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan to create the cheese blend.
Equipment: small bowl
Assemble the lasagna
Spread a thin layer of meat sauce (about ½ cup) across the bottom of the baking dish.
Lay 3 noodles side by side over the sauce, slightly overlapping if needed. Spread half the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, then top with one-third of the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with one-third of the cheese blend.
Add a second layer of 3 noodles, spread the remaining ricotta mixture on top, add another one-third of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with another one-third of the cheese blend.
Place the final 3 noodles on top, spread the remaining meat sauce evenly, and finish with the remaining cheese blend, ensuring the top is fully covered.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish, spatula, spoon
Bake covered
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Equipment: oven, aluminum foil
Bake uncovered until golden
Remove the foil from the baking dish.
Continue baking until the cheese on top is melted, golden, and bubbling around the edges.
Equipment: oven
Rest and serve
Remove the lasagna from the oven.
Let it rest uncovered for at least 15 minutes — this is essential for clean, firm slices.
Slice and serve.
Equipment: wire rack or trivet
Tomorrow's Meal
Lasagna Soup
Cold lasagna cut into chunks and warmed in a tomato broth with spinach, a bowl of lasagna with a spoon.
You'll need to pick up:
4 cups beef or chicken broth1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes2 cups baby spinach1/4 cup ricotta (optional)Fresh basil for garnish
Quick overview:
- 1.Bring the broth and crushed tomatoes to a simmer in a large pot and cook 10 minutes
- 2.Cut the cold lasagna into 1-inch pieces
- 3.Add the lasagna to the pot and simmer gently 5 minutes until hot all the way through
- 4.Stir in the spinach and cook 1 minute until wilted
- 5.Ladle into bowls and top with a spoonful of ricotta and torn basil
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Allow the lasagna to cool completely before covering. Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
- • The lasagna can be fully assembled, covered tightly, and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 extra minutes to the covered baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.
- • Serve alongside a simple green salad and warm garlic bread for a complete meal.
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