Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)
This EASY Lasagna Recipe is beefy, saucy and supremely flavorful. Homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version and it feeds a crowd for way less than going out to eat.
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We love lasagna around here and have gotten creative over the years with slow cooker lasagna and even a lasagna pasta casserole, but THIS classic lasagna is our all-time favorite.
Lasagna Recipe:
Lasagna is the perfect meal – it keeps, reheats and freezes really well and it is so nice to have something in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week. Also, think: Meal Planning! It also works well for kids lunches – I pack a serving in my son’s thermos to keep it hot and that thermos comes home empty :).
Ingredients for Lasagna with Meat Sauce:
- I used 80/20 beef (20% fat content) for a juicier lasagna
- You will need 9 lasagna noodles for a 9×13 casserole dish (You can use gluten free noodles).
- Use store-bought marinara, or homemade marinara
- Any good red wine (not cooking wine) will work
Substitute for Red Wine?
If you don’t have red wine on hand, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with beef broth or beef stock. The red wine adds great flavor but the lasagna will still be delicious with beef broth.
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 the “al-dente” state. Keep in mind, the lasagna will be bake for 45 minutes so do not overcook your lasagna noodles.
How to Keep Cheese from Sticking to Foil:
There’s nothing worse than having your entire top portion of cheese stuck to your aluminum foil cover. Poke 8-10 toothpicks evenly around the top of your lasagna, pushing them in halfway to keep the aluminum foil from touching and sticking to your lasagna.
Just be sure to count and remove every toothpick prior to serving.
Watch How to Make Lasagna:
Watch Natasha make this classic Italian-style Lasagna Recipe. It is so easy and the best lasagna I have tried with the perfect balance of meat sauce to cheese sauce and noodles. That golden cheese crust seals in all the flavor and makes it irresistible.
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Lasagna Recipe (VIDEO)
This 3 cheese EASY Lasagna recipe is beefy, saucy and supremely flavorful. This homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant version and it feeds a crowd!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Lasagna
- 1 lb ground beef (15-20% fat content)
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup red wine (any kind), 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.
-
Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce in the bottom of a deep 9x13 casserole dish.
Add 3 noodles, spread on 1/3 of the meat sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozarella cheese. Spoon on and spread the top with 1/2 of your cheese sauce. -
Repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles:
Add 3 noodles, 1/3 meat sauce, 1 cup mozarella cheese, 1/2 cheese sauce
Add 3 noodles, remaining 1/3 meat sauce, remaining 1 cup mozarella. -
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.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
For kicks and giggles, here are the original photos from this recipe which we shared 8 years ago. Look familiar? The is how yours will look if you try to cut it too early – still tasty but it slides apart.
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha,
I barely ever leave reviews, unless truly exceptional and this was! You are one of my favorite food blogs, all your recipes are a hit from the cheesy chicken and rice to the chicken fritters, everything I have made has been amazing. This lasagna was such a hit, so delicious and better than at any restaurant. I doubled the ricotta instead of using cottage cheese, that was the only change I made. Amazing! Thank you for all your delicious recipes!
You’re welcome Jelena! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Made your lasagna tonight! Best lasagna ever! Thanks again for all your great recipes. You are definitely my go to when searching for a certain recipe.
You’re welcome and thanks for your great feedback!
Could this lasagna work with ground turkey or chicken?
Hi Catisha, that should work.
This was the easiest and best Lasagna Recipe I have ever tried! It is now, my go to Lasagna Recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Brenda!
could you omit wine/broth
Hi Kristin, you sure can. We have notes on that in the recipe. If you don’t have red wine on hand, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with beef broth or beef stock. The red wine adds great flavor but the lasagna will still be delicious with beef broth.
I made this for Super Bowl meal. I like more meat so used 2lbs of beef. Also added extra marinara and spices to adjust. Cooking at 7000ft in CO requires longer time on stove and in oven. Otherwise followed recipe. Excellent!! Our new favorite lasagna recipe.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Bill
Really delicious cheese mixture, and the enhancements to bottled sauce are amazing. When I make it again – and I will – I will use more sauce. Maybe 4 cups instead of 3.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Donna!
This is the best lasagna recipe ever and I posted it and right away had someone ask for the recipe! Thank you! It’s the best!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi. Can you provide a link to your lasagna ceramic pan?
Hi Linda, the Casserole dish we used for this lasagna was from Fred Meyer and very inexpensive (maybe $20 if I remember correctly) It works great and serves beautifully
This is seriously the best lasagna I have ever had. I have used my moms recipe always. Hers has sausage in it and I always thought it was the best. Natasha’s lasagna is rock star delish . Thank you for sharing your kitchen love with the world Natasha !
You’re welcome, Kristina! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Hi natasha, i git pre cooked lasagne, is it Ok of i use that With the same procedure
Hi Sana, I haven’t tried that but one of our readers wrote “used ‘no boil’ lasagna noodles and it worked fine and cuts cooking time. Would like to try other lasagna recipes to compare…”
Dear Natasha,
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will try to make it tonight.
You’re welcome! I hope you love this recipe.
Hi Natasha, is the mozzarella cheese you use in this recipe the ones that is already shredded in packages in the grocery stores.
Hi Shirley, we like our mozzarella cheese shredded fresh so we like to shred the block fresh.
Thank you for your reply, the fresh mozzarella cheese that shape like a log is too soft to shred where can i find the block mozzarella cheese that is a better texture to shred.
Hi Shirley, make sure the cheese says “low moisture, part-skim” which is the one that is easy to shred. I would avoid “fresh mozzarella” which is too soft for shredding.
I swear I recently saw a video of yours for Eggplant Lasagna using Rao’s Marinara Sauce. I’ve looked everywhere, and I cant find it. Was I dreaming? I was going to make it tonight!
Hi Bernie, that was not our recipe. We do have lasagna recipes here you may like. Also, I’ve compiled our eggplant favorites here.
Can this be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge before baking. If so, how long can it stay in the fridge?
Hi Florina, it would work fine refrigerated the way you are describing. I haven’t tested that for more than half a day to advise on anything longer.
I was bored with my old lasagna recipe and gave yours a try two days ago – OH MOMMA!!! We love it! Made One Hour Bread form La Fuji Mama to go with. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Cindy! Thank you for that awesome review!
What other kinds of cheese can be used for this? Like if i don’t have ricotta and cottage cheese. Thanks
I made this recipe last night and WOW! It was my very first time making lasagna and the whole family LOVED it!
My 9X13 pan isn’t very deep, so I bought a $2 foil pan at the grocery store and it worked perfectly. Clean up was easy, as well!
I wanted it a little more meaty than what your video looked like, so I added a pound of sweet Italian sausage to the one pound of ground beef and it was amazing. Love all your recipes/videos!
Hi Sheri! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the wonderful feedback and tips!
Totally delicious!!! I split the recipe into two loaf pans, one with the recipe as written (a little extra meat for my husband) and one omitting the meat for me. They were both exceptionally good. I did add a bit of extra marinara because we love sauce!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Laine!
This lasagna turned out dry and the cheese filling mix was bland
The instructions were not very clear as to what, exactly to do with the cheese filling paste
Hi Lena, did you change or substitute anything in the recipe? This is normally very juicy and never dry unless something is substituted. Did you have a chance to watch the video? That might help to see the process in action.
I made this for our New Years Eve dinner. It was absolutely perfect, delicious, and everyone commented how good it was. It was very easy to make and assemble. Thank you for a keeper.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Thank you for this recipe. I just made two of these bad boys for New Years Eve and they turned out amazing!! Many blessings for you and your family for 2020!
Hi Gladys, I’m so glad you loved the lasagna! Happy and Blessed New Year to you also!
Hi Natasha, Robin here from Peterborough, Ontario. My hubby and I are making this recipe for our fussy (grown daughter) tomorrow. We love your cooking methods.
Happy New Year, from Canada!
Hi Robin!! I hope she loves this recipe!! Happy New Year!
I’ve just made your lasagna. It’s been out of the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Still very warm. We are not eating for another 6 hours. Question is can I put it back in the oven on 150 to keep it warm?
Hi Marge, I haven’t tried keeping it warm for that long; my concern would be that it may dry out being in the oven that long.
Yummy, yummy yummy. To the readers who want to alter the recipe — first time please follow/read the recipe, then 2nd try alter it to your taste. I use less salt because some family members are sodium-sensitive but adding wine oomfs the flavour. You did good, Natasha. Always better the second day (if you can keep the folks away). Love your recipes and the facial expressions – enjoyable!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lynn! Thank you for the wonderful review!
SOOOO GOOD ! No fresh or dry persil but still very good. I don’t like bechamel and your recipe with ricotta and cottage cheese is just what I was looking for. Cook it when I need to feed a crowd and it’s always a hit ! Even my little fussy one is eating
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
Hi. Natasha. I’m from Ecuador and wanted to tell you that I love your recipes. Specially of pasta! Happy new 2020!
Hi Carmen! Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Hi! I was wondering if I could substitute the ground beef with minced chicken? If so, do I also substitute the red wine with chicken stock?
Hi Rena, I have always made this with beef but I think that should still work. You might add a little extra olive oil while cooking the chicken since chicken naturally has less fat and can be a little more dry. I think the chicken broth will work.
Ground pork works well too, and the flavor is incredible. It’s also less expensive than beef.
That is great to know! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi there! Would it still work well if I use full fat ricotta and 2% cottage cheese?
Hi Elle. Several of our readers have used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta.
I never boil lasagna noodles and never pat extra for the “no-cook” kind…just use regular noodles and they come out perfect every time! Yum!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
My son is anaphylactic to egg. we have been substituting with a flax egg but I wonder what else I can sub for this recipe?
Hi Faye, I haven’t tested this but you can substitute the eggs (yolks…) with whipping cream, equal amount. The addition of eggs to a Lasagna is to make it a richer and creamier filling. You can also use more Ricotta Cheese.
Hi!
I’m wondering if there are cooking instructions for both the fridge and freezer.
I made this ahead of time, and am planning on storing it in the fridge tonight (and freezer for the 2nd batch) but I’m not sure how long I should cook it for tomorrow afternoon!
Hi Jamie, Lasagna freezes well. You can freeze an entire casserole or even individual slices after it is done the cooking. We also have this note on the recipe ” Bake from frozen at 375˚F for about 1 hour.” It will take less time from not frozen, just enough to heat it through which should take about 30 to 45 minutes. I hope you find this helpful!
Hi Natasha! I am going to be making two of these for Christmas dinner. I would like to do as much of it ahead of time as possible and am thinking of freezing it till then. However, I am a little unsure at what point I should freeze it if that makes sense. I’m assuming I would prepare everything completely to the step right before it would normally go in the oven, then freeze? Also, should I let it thaw completely before putting it in the oven Christmas Day? Or should I cook it frozen? Thanks for the help!! Happy Holidays!
Hi Chip, Lasagna freezes well. You can freeze an entire casserole or even individual slices after it is done the cooking. We also have this note on the recipe ” Bake from frozen at 375˚F for about 1 hour.” I hope you find this helpful!
I made 2 for a dinner party today and everyone loved it. I used your marinara sauce recipe as well. I only omitted the mushroom for the sauce and the cottage cheese in the lasagna.
Tks for the great recipe!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you liked that. Will you be making this for Christmas too?
No Im not. But I already shared this recipe with my sister.
Just made this for a holiday dinner party and my mom said this was the best lasagna she EVER HAD!! It was perfect! Thanks Natasha!!!
That’s so great, Meghan! Thank you for sharing that amazing feedback with us!
I don’t understand whether I’ve gone wrong somewhere or whether this recipe is just completely ridiculous. I made this recipe down to an absolute T, every ounce, every measurement, heating times, literally everything and it was just awful. The cheese “sauce” is nowhere near a sauce consistency, the amount of cottage cheese as well as ricotta which are both thick and lumpy just made it impossible to blend and it was just a huge lumpy mess. The red sauce was perfect, absolutely gorgeous but the cheese sauce was just a catastrophe and ruined the whole recipe. The whole lasagne just tasted of pure cottage cheese. Unfortunately the worse recipe I’ve ever made!
Hi Yasmin, this is one of our most popular recipes and it always gets great reviews. I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Normally it melds well with the rest of the cheese sauce and one can hardly distinguish there is cottage cheese in it. Maybe you used a large curd cottage cheese or mistakenly added too much cottage cheese? Also, if it is underbaked, the sauce won’t form properly (does your oven run low normallY?) Lastly, be sure to let the lasagna rest before cutting into it to give the cheese sauce a chance to set. If you prefer a cheese sauce without cottage cheese altogether, you might prefer our lasagna roll-ups.
I think she mixed all the mozzarella in the cheese sauce.
That could be a culprit and would make the cheese sauce weird. We only use 1 cup of the cheese in the cheese sauce.
I love your recipes! People still compliment me for my cheesy chicken fritters! You’re amazing! Do you have a cookbook?! Id buy it on Amazon right now!
I’m so glad to hear it, Aminta! Thank you for sharing that wonderful review with me! A book is in the works, stay tuned!
The best lasagna ever! Comment from our family!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
For anyone that is thinking about making this: stop your search for a recipe tonight and make this lasagna, it’s so worth it!! I’m a new wife with minimal cooking experience that is just trying to keep my husband happy and full. We absolutely loved this and were surprised it turned out so good. I swear he was talking about it for days as we ate through the leftovers. Such a delicious recipe!! Thank you Natasha for making a recipe simple, flavorful and something we can be proud to cook and share This is the kind of recipe to pass down for generations to come!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’m planning to make this tomorrow night – can I use spaghetti sauce instead of marinara? Thanks!
Hi Susanah, yes those can be used interchangeably. They are essentially the same thing with some differences in flavors between brands. I would suggest using your favorite spaghetti sauce.
Hi Natasha,
Greetings!
I would like to start by saying that I love your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes.
This dish I haven’t made yet and I would like to know if I can make ahead of time and freeze it. Having a holiday dinner party and would like to make dishes a week in advance. Can you advise a main dish and appetizer that I can make a week in advance.
Thank you
Kindest regards
Nara
Hi Nara! Thank you for that wonderful compliment. This dish is freezer friendly! We have so many options on our blog. Have you tried any of these recipes here?
Can this lasagna be frozen right after it’s put together (before it’s cooked)?
Hi Olga, You can freeze an entire casserole or even individual slices.
Love your recipes..
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Natasha
Thank you sooo much for the amazing lasagna. You’re the best…smile
I will posted a picture soon ,so you know I cooked your recipe. Smile
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Miriam!
Hi…I would be so grateful if u tell me what to add as an alternate to wine when preparing meat for lasagne.
Thanks
Hi! Most of our recipes have tips and substitutions posted. If you don’t have red wine on hand, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with beef broth or beef stock. The red wine adds great flavor but the lasagna will still be delicious with beef broth.
Hello Natasha! Where did you bought the baking dish? It is so pretty and perfect for the recipe.
I love the recipe and I would like to know if it can be made with chicken?
Thank you, you are the best!
Hi Dania, I have always made this with beef but I think that should still work. You might add a little extra olive oil while cooking the chicken since chicken naturally has less fat and can be a little more dry.
Hi, Natasha do you think I can use oven ready lasagna?
Hi Lana, You can save a step by using the oven ready noodles. One of my readers, Stacey, wrote: “for anyone else who’s reading, I use oven ready noodles for this recipe all the time”
Hi Natasha your recipes are the best. Thank you .
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
I made your crock pot version for work and it was a huge hit. Everyone wanted the recipe. I will make this oven version when my family is home in October. I love all your recipes and videos you make. Keep them coming!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Sandy!
ABSOLUTELY FINGER LICKING GOOD!! MY FAMILY ENJOYED IT!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
This is a really excellent recipe. My family adores it. It’s actually quite easy to make.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Michal
I usually double the recipe just so I have one to freeze for another week. But I absolutely love this!!! Tastes incredible!!! I’m going to try and substitute one of the lasagne layers for spinach. It’ll probably fall apart a bit more but I always have an extra serving when I shouldn’t so this might be good for me:) as for people complaining that it cost more around 25 dollars for the recipe. I find it hilarious because you’d probably spend that easily going out. Thanks for sharing Natasha.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Inna. Thank you for sharing that thoughtful review.
Recipe improvement:
Double the meat and onion.
Triple the garlic
Add one teaspoon of cayenne to meat sauce
NEVER ADD SUGAR TO ITALIAN FOOD!
Add a minced garlic to the cheese
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes . Just wanted to leave a tip . The best way to keep cheese from sticking to foil is to spray the foil with cooking spray . I hope this is helpful. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes and video’s.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sheila!
Hi Natasha,
I made this lasagne last night.
I had an issue with putting the lasagne sheets in the boiling salted water. I did this carefully one at a time, but they still stuck together in the water. What to do?
Hi Denise, it helps to have a pot that is larger to accommodate the large noodles and making sure to stir a couple of times in that first minute, especially right after adding the noodles. It’s smart that you added the noodles one at a time, but also be sure to stir right away and soon after to keep them from sticking. I have found this to be true with all pasta.
I’ve always struggled with boiling the noodles, etc. When I switched to using whole wheat noodles (don’t think that’s a factor, but thought I should mention it) I also stopped prebouling the noodles. I now just put the 9 noodles into the casserole dish, cover with boiling water, and proceed making the meat and cheese components. When ready to assemble, I drain the noodles, dry and spray the dish, then layer all. Noodles are always done and it’s much simpler for me.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
My new favorite lasagna recipe! Even my pick kids loved it. Can I freeze this?
Hi Colleen, You can freeze an entire casserole or even individual slices.
A great way to keep noodles from sticking together, add a dash of oil to water while its cooking.
Thanks for sharing! I hope you love the lasagna recipe!
Hi Natasha
I just tried the lasagna recipe for the first time and it was great! My family loved it – thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it
I’m Not a Lasagna fan, Buutt! This is the BEST I’ve ever seen ! Just watching it Made me Hungry ! BTW ! The Comment “Hubba Hubba” , is a Blast from the Past from my Moms Kitchen ! LOVED IT !
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
I made this again tonight. I had my mother over for dinner and she had to have the recipe. Huge winner in my house. Thanks Natasha!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sharon!
I’m waiting for mine to cool! It looks so yummy! Can’t wait to eat it!
I hope you love it, Judith! I bet your home smells amazing right now!
What brand is the casserole dish that you are using in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Mary, the Casserole dish we used for this lasagna was from Fred Meyer and very inexpensive (maybe $20 if I remember correctly) It works great and serves beautifully
I do not like cottage cheese so can I use all ricotta cheese in your lasagna recipe?
Hi Dorothea, We love it however several of our readers have used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna!
Hi Natasha,
can I use water instead of wine/broth? And I would like to do with lamb mince. will it work out?
Hi Swetha, If you don’t have red wine on hand, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with beef broth or beef stock. The red wine adds great flavor but the lasagna will still be delicious with beef broth.
I made this for dinner last night and my husband loved it. It is very mild and creamy.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us Sharon!
Hi Natasha. I’ve made your Easy Crock Pot Lasagna many times and it’s on a good rotation in my home. I would like to try this version now. I was just wondering if there’s a difference between buying the “oven ready” lasagna or just get the normal ones. Thanks for making such easy and delicious recipes for my family!
Hi Van, You can save a step by using the oven ready noodles. One of my readers, Stacey, wrote: “for anyone else who’s reading, I use oven ready noodles for this recipe all the time”
How deep or what size is the casserole dish for the lasagna? I’m new to cooking & I’ve tried your recipes, they’re great.
Hi Eyda, a standard 9×13 casserole dish is about 2″ deep. Deeper is better but I wouldn’t use anything shallower than that.
Natasha, what brand of marinara sauce did you use?
Hi Veronica, please see the third photo in the post where I Have a picture of the bottle I used.
Hey Natasha,
Is there anything I can use to replace cottage cheese? It’s hard to find here at my place 🙁
Hi Kamaliah! We love it however several of our readers have used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna!
Kamalia. ,if you use all ricotta ,use whole milk and add a extra egg and flat leaf parsley extra , it will puff higher and add a little extra ramano cheese taste the ricotta mixture make it to flavor you like the cottage cheese is also good though but a little heaver
Hi Natasha, first of all, thank you for this fabulous recipe, I’ve made it several times and it was always a hit.. my now question is: Could I make it and freeze it to use tow months later? .. thank you again
Yes! Lasagna freezes well and that should work just fine. I hope you love it!
made this for dinner & it was the best lasagna I ever had. Thanks so much. I used the non stick Reynolds wrap so you don’t need tooth picks, & it doesn’t stick . I really love all your recipes & you!!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review & sharing your wrap tip!
Hi Natasha, looking to make this and love the reviews! Can we use whole ricotta cheese with either 1% or 2% low fat cottage cheese with the same measurements?
Hi Danny, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
can you replace beef with chicken mince?
Hi, I have always made this with beef but I think that should still work. You might add a little extra olive oil while cooking the chicken since chicken naturally has less fat and can be a little more dry.
Excellent recipe.. tried it for the first time and it was praised by everyone by having a second piece
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with me John!
I have never liked the taste of cottage cheese and I have never cooked with it. Will I taste it in this recipe?
We love it however several of our readers have used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna!
I have made this once before and it was incredible! Now I want to make it for a potluck but there are some vegetarians in the crowd – what do you suggest I replace the meat with?
Hi Kassandra, you can switch out meat with any Vegan meat substitute. One of our readers, Karri mentioned Beyond Meat has a good raw burger, sold in the meat department, that you could switch out for the ground beef.
Wow delicious! Didn’t have cottage cheese so used a little more Ricotta and added some Romano cheese instead. Truly one of the best recipes I have ever made. We love it. Thank you!
Hi Pamela, That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Italian would not use cottage cheese!!! That is awful.
I can’t wait to taste it
I hope you love it!
can this be made without meat?
Hi Tamara, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Once again you’ve made me a star! My husband couldn’t stop gushing about this lasagna. It was soooooo good. Seriously better than any restaurant version!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kelly 🙂
Hi! Love your recipes. This lasagna is amazing! Instead of using toothpicks to keep cheese from sticking to the foil, spray the foil generously with cooking spray. Works every time. 😀🍷
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I’m not able to eat Ricotta cheese. Suggestions for a substitute?
Hi Nicole, I have seen people omit ricotta and just make the lasagna without. You might also try making a white sauce for lasagna like this one to make a ricotta-free lasagna.
Hi natasha, I always put 1 tea spoon of olive oil to boil the spaghetti, so they don’t stick together, can i put olive oil too in to the water to boil the lasagna?
Hi Belinda, it isn’t necessary but you can if you prefer to add it.
One of the best lasagnas I have made. Great recipe. I highly recommend. Also. Loved the video
I’m so happy to hear that, Laurette! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Love this recipe. It is my go to for family events!
I’m so happy you found a family favorite on our blog! Thank you for that awesome review!
Yummy. Made it today, wonderful recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that, Jessica! Thank you for sharing your great review!
The taste was fantastic and very cheesy. I would have like a bit more sauce and my sauce was a little runny the first day. After resting a day and reheating it stayed together better. Not sure if I read something wrong. I did make the recipe sauce and think mine was too runny even after cooking longer than recommended. It does make a very large portion. There are only two of us so I froze a lot for later.
Thank you for sharing your review! The sauce will thicken as it stands, especially after the fridge. 🙂
Thank you for amazing lasagna 🤗
I made it for my family few times and they always asking for more!
You’re so welcome! & that’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!.
Hi!
My boyfriend and I are not fans of cottage cheese what could we substitute it with?
Hi Maribel! I have heard from readers who used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I just made your lasagna yesterday and my wife called it: orgasmic!
It is, by far, the best tasting lasagna I have ever had a pleasure to taste.
Thank you so much!
Neb
Ha ha! oh my!! I’m so glad you both loved the lasagna!!
Keep in mind, a good italian meat sauce and cheese sauce can be used many ways. If you don’t have Lasagna noodles, use bow-tie pasta and make a stovetop skillet lasagna. Or use elbows or shells and make a great beefaroni style dish even kids will like, also a stovetop skillet meal. And I am also quite sure this topping would go very well over spaghetti. Freezing well, Just think of all the quick italian style suppers you can make on the top of your stove when time is short. Thank you Natasha!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Thomas!
I made this recipe for New Years day. Everyone just loved it. Thank
you for sharing wonderful recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Looks soooo good!!! I’m new to cooking so I’m wondering if I wanted to make it veggie, could I just omit the beef and follow the recipe using the mushroom marinara?
Hi Eva, I haven’t tried that but here is what one of our readers wrote “Switch out meat with any Vegan meat substitute. Beyond Meat has a good raw burger, sold in the meat department, that you could switch out for the ground beef.” I hope that helps!
Eva, you can omit the beef, and add “TOFU” that is a good protein in place of meat. My daughter used to eat that, and use that, and my experience you can use “MUSHROOM MARINARA” why not do your thing to make your family and you happy. GOD BLESS.
I am making this right now… looks great and smells better so far! Momma will eat good tonight!
THat’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :).
I made this recipe for dinner last night and it was a hit! I will definitely be making this again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
What red wine do you use? I always have beef broth in the pantry but feel like trying this with the red wine.
TIA
Hi Kristin, I usually use a soft red for all of my cooking. Any good drinkable and not overly sweet wine will work.
This is a great recipe!!..definitely will make again.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Natasha, your lasagna recipe WORKS Guuurrrrrreat, a newest family fave. I’d show pics, cept it starts disappearing nearly as soon as we pull it from the oven, this is batch #3, and many to follow, freezes well, though leftoerse are but a dish (leftoers prolly better).
Jon F
Hi Jon! That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
My wife took a fancy to that deep casserole dish, were did you buy that at ?
Hi Ron! the Casserole dish we used for this lasagna was from Fred Meyer and very inexpensive (maybe $20 if I remember correctly) 🙂 It works great and serves beautifully 🙂
Only 1/4 cup red wine ..it’s look more in the video!
1/4 cup is right! 🙂
I ended up getting the regular lasagna noodles and your recipe was a big hit. I made it for Saturday but there was no left overs for Sunday so I made it again that day. The only thing that I added was ground cooked zucchini in the tomato sauce so kids would have their vegetables.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :).
I printed this off and taped it to my fridge. It was so so so good. I had tried another recipe online and it was just okay but this was exactly what I was looking for in every way. The thing that makes lasagna stand out in flavor to me is the cheese mixture and this had just the right amount of creamy cheese in each bite. Thank you for sharing your recipe for a newbie cook to learn.
You’re so welcome, Amanda! I’m so happy you loved this recipe!
We’ve made this recipe twice already, and it’s the best lasagna ever! It’s not overly cheesy, and the meat sauce is great! Thank you, Natasha, for this recipe. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for that amazing review!!
Hello Natasha,
Thanks a lot for the recipe. I am wondering if I can use the no boil lasagna noodles. Your recipe is very simple but I am still lazy to boil the lasagna noodles 😅
Hi Nahla, I haven’t tried that but one of our readers wrote “used ‘no boil’ lasagna noodles and it worked fine and cuts cooking time. Would like to try other lasagna recipes to compare…”
Really great flavor, but no idea how that amount of meat sauce was sufficient for everyone else’s 9×13 pans, because each layer of meat sauce for me ended up having to be see-through thin. DEFINITELY needs the meat sauce portion doubled if you like equal portions of cheese and meat.
Hi A, be careful since unless you have a really ultra deep dish pan, it will overflow the pan to double the meat sauce unless you are using an 11×13 pan in which case you would want to use more of everything.
Odd. It is a 9×13 and semi-deep. Oh well. Flavor was fantastic, will play around with amounts for next time.
Fabulous recipe otherwise! I look forward to making other recipes!
Love this lasagna it was perfect
That’s just awesome!!
If I make this with ground turkey instead of beef would I use chicken broth ? What would you suggest?
Hi Shelly! I haven’t tried this with chicken broth, I assume it will alter the flavor a bit. If you experiment with that please let me know how you like the recipe.
This recipe looks absolutely amazing! Can you tell me what portion size your nutrition information refers to?
Hi Kimerbly, thank you! I hope you love the lasagna! I have the serving size for each recipe at the top of the print-friendly recipe card. The nutrition label holds the nutrition facts per serving.
Thank, I had missed that!
Thank, I had missed that!
Very yummy recipe! Everyone that ate it loved it at dinner. I love the combo of different cheeses! Mmm and the higher beef fat content definately makes a difference!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :).
Your lasagna looks fabulous 😍😍😍 I guess I have to make one tonight xD
– Natalie
Sounds like the perfect dinner! I hope you love it! 🙂
I made this lasagna for a recent family gathering. It was a huge hit!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
What kind of mozzarella cheese are you using for lasagna?
Hi Olga, we used shredded Mozzarella cheese 🙂 You can buy a block and shred it yourself or purchase shredded.
Hi Natasha,
What happened to your other 3 cheese lasagna recipe. I always used it but never printed it out.
Where can I find it? It’s not on your website anymore.
Hi Irina, this is that same lasagna recipe! 🙂 We simplified the process slightly and removed the milk which was causing the lasagna to be too loose and not slice as easily. I hope you love the lasagna! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I’m making this for Christmas dinner, but my family doesn’t like Cottage cheese, can I use cream cheese instead of cottage?
Hi Liz, I have heard from readers who used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna! I Have not tried this with cream cheese and worry the texture wouldn’t be the same🙂
Hi ! I replaced the cottage cheese for ricotta. It came out great !
Thank you so much for sharing and I’m glad you enjoyed the lasagna! 🙂
All your recipes sound amazing. Your videos are so informative and helpful too. Do you have a cookbook? I sure would LOVE one!!
Hi Yvonne! You’re so nice! Thank you for that wonderful review! Stay tuned for cookbook details! 🙂
Me too, fingers crossed:)
Hi Natasha
I’m not a fan of beef, could we use turkey, pork or Italian sausage ?
Thank you,
That should work great!
I would live to print this recipe
Hi Kathy! There is a print option towards the bottom of the recipe 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I made this lasagna 3 days ago and, as usual, an excellent recipe. My husband who does not eat pasta told me that I can do it again and again. Even the third day leftovers were juicy and tasty as the first day.
P.S. I tried MANY of your recipes and all are very good. I like when it works from the first try. No hidden technique or ingredients. For the coming New Year party my family asked me to bake the wreath bread (2 portions) and some deserts. I am baking the caramel mini cheesecakes, eclairs and maybe zefir.
Thank you for everything you do for people who love to cook, bake and eat :)).
Hi Galina! Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and comment. I’m smiling big 🙂 I’m so happy you love the lasagna and so many of our other recipes. I hope you have a lovely Christmas season!! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I wanted to make this lasagna but I cannot seem to find cottage cheese in the supermarket. Do you know what can I substitute with cottage cheese? Thank you so much!
Hi Karen, I have heard from readers who used only ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I think that would work best to just double the ricotta or at least 1 1/2 times the ricotta. I hope you love this meat sauce lasagna! 🙂
Hi Natasha- this looks great- going to try it this weekend! If someone in my family doesn’t like cottage cheese, could I double the ricotta?
Hi Lauren, yes that will work to substitute with all ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I hope you love this classic lasagna! 🙂
Hi Natasha- as an update, I made this with double the ricotta instead of the cottage cheese and it came out great! My father, who loves lasagna, said it was the best he’s had- thanks for the great recipe!
That’s so great!! Thank you for sharing your experiment with us! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Good lasagna recipe…used ‘no boil’ lasagna noodles and it worked fine and cuts cooking time. Would like to try other lasagna recipes to compare…
Thank you for sharing that with us!
I accidentally bought no boil lasagna noodles – ugh. any special instructions or suggestions? Can I boil them any way?
Hi Anita, I haven’t tried that but one of our readers wrote “used ‘no boil’ lasagna noodles and it worked fine and cuts cooking time. Would like to try other lasagna recipes to compare…”