Easy Lasagna Recipe (with Video)

This easy Lasagna Recipe is meaty, cheesy, saucy, and packed with flavor in every bite. My homemade lasagna is better than any restaurant or store-bought version, and it feeds a crowd for less than going out to eat. My family gets excited every time I pull this cheesy, bubbly casserole out of the oven!

Seriously the Best Lasagna!

Since I was a child, lasagna has been one of my top 10 favorite foods and I’ve gotten creative over the years to capture its classic flavors in Lasagna Soup, Chicken Lasagna, Slow Cooker Lasagna, and even Chocolate lasagna (does that count?).

Of all of the recipes I’ve tried over the years, this is the perfect lasagna. I loved it so much, I even turned it into Lasagna Roll Ups and gluten-free Zucchini Lasagna (which is gluten-free).

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 it 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.
• Aromatics – yellow onion and fresh garlic add layers of flavor and aroma.
• Red wine – This amps up the flavor of your sauce (do not use cooking wine). You can sub wine with beef broth or chicken broth.
• Marinara sauce – Use homemade marinara or store-bought.
• Dried thyme – Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano can be substituted
• Sugar – balances the acidity of the marinara sauce (I use this same trick in my Spaghetti Sauce recipe)
• 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.
• 3 Cheeses – I love combining shredded mozzarella, ricotta cheese and cottage cheese for a moist and gooey cheese sauce. The cottage cheese ensures it’s super juicy on the reheat.
• Egg – helps hold the cheese layer together

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. It’s essentially my Spaghetti Meat Sauce.

• 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.
• Simmer 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

1. Make the cheese filling – Combine all the cheese sauce ingredients and 1 cup of mozzarella in a mixing bowl (reserve the rest of the mozzarella for later).

How to Make Lasagna

1. Cook the Noodles – Preheat your oven to 375ºF and cook the lasagna noodles in a pot of well-salted water until barely al dente (firm to the bite – don’t overcook it), then drain and pour in cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
2. Assemble Lasagna – 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.

3. 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. Important! Let the lasagna rest for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving. If you cut into it right away, it will slide apart.
   

What Cheese is Best for Lasagna?

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 to Serve with Lasagna

• Maroulosalata
• Greek Salad
• Easy Garlic Bread
• Caesar Salad
• Focaccia Bread
• Caprese Salad
• Panzanella Salad

Make-Ahead and Storage

Here’s everything you need to know about storing lasagna for later. You can even double the recipe to stash some for later!

• To Refrigerate: You can assemble and store it covered in the refrigerator for a day or two until 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 and bake according to the recipe instructions for the most even results. Baking from frozen will take longer (60-90 minutes). Or reheat leftovers in the oven at 350˚F covered with foil until warmed through.

With its meaty sauce and layers of cheese, I 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
• Chicken Tetrazzini