Easy Classic Lasagna Recipe

This homemade lasagna recipe is by far the best! It is so easy to make, has layers of a cheesy ricotta,  mozzarella, and a meat sauce that is seasoned to perfection. Serve with a simple garden salad or Kale Salad for a perfect family dinner any night of the week!

Lasagna has been recreated time and again using different flavors and ingredients. Some have meat, some are meatless, like this Vegetable lasagna, and some are even dessert lasagnas like this Christmas Lasagna!

But if there is one thing any home cook should know how to make is the simple comfort food that is the classic lasagna!

What type of Noodles Should I Use in Lasagna?

There are a few different options that will work with this recipe. You can boil lasagna noodles you have on hand following the directions on the package for boiling to get al dente noodles.

You can also use no-bake noodles, which are made specifically to add some convenience to your life.

Then there is my favorite method which is to use regular uncooked noodles and allow the sauce to do help cook the noodles!

Love classic Italian comfort food? This Meatless Baked Ziti is always a favorite! Or turn to this classic Lasagna soup in a red sauce or this creamy White Lasagna Soup that are both so easy to make!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive oil
• Onion chopped
• Ground beef – You can also use bulk pork sausage or ground turkey.
• Garlic minced – fresh or jarred is fine.
• Crushed tomatoes
• Sugar
• Ricotta cheese – or cottage cheese
• Parmesan cheese – Use fresh grated or pre bought.
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Egg
• Mozzarella cheese shredded – or grated off a block
• Lasagna noodles

Variation

Use a jar of store bought sauce and omit the added sugar, Italian seasoning, and salt as the store bought sauce will already contain all of that.

For added convenience use pre-shredded mozzarella (although grating it from a block is the fresher way to go).

Add approximately 3-4 cups of homemade marinara sauce in place of tomato sauce.

How to Make Homemade Lasagna

For the Meat Sauce

Step 1: Add olive oil, onions, and ground beef to a saute pan and cook until meat is no longer pink and onion is translucent.

Step 2: Drain the meat of the excess oil. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar and stir to combine. Heat and simmer.

For the Cheese Mixture

Step 3:Combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and combine well with a wooden spoon.

Assembly

Step 4: In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, add a thin layer of meat sauce and spread evenly along the bottom of the entire dish. This helps prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the dish.

Step 5: Add a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, then a layer of meat sauce. Add to that a layer of the ricotta mixture topped with the mozzarella.

Step 6: Repeat the layering two more times. Top it off with your last layer of noodles and mozzarella cheese.

Step 7: Bake until cheese is bubbly and your family is waiting at the table with napkins tucked into their shirts.

Tip:

• Use a glass casserole dish like a Pyrex or stainless steel pan. Avoid aluminum pans since they can absorb the acidity of the tomatoes.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you are making two at a time, or have leftovers you would like to freeze, you can freeze it for up to 2 months.  Put in the oven at 350 degrees to reheat all the way through.