Easy Lasagna Recipe

This Easy Lasagna Recipe is a best-loved classic. With no bake noodles and a delicious sauce you know it’s going to be a hit!

We’ve found this Easy Lasagna Recipe to be the perfect dinner whether you’re looking for a regular weeknight meal or entertaining dinner guests. It’s even better served with Garlic Bread and a Caesar Salad!

the only recipe we’ll use

This is our family’s favorite Easy Lasagna Recipe!

My mom makes Lasagna for the family all the time. We love all lasagna – like Chicken Lasagna and even Lasagna Soup. It’s one of those meals that the entire family loves, and one that feeds a crowd.

Over the years, my mom has tried a TON of Lasagna Recipes, but this is the one that has stuck because we love it that much!

This Lasagna Recipe is SO simple and SO delicious it is a best-loved recipe here on our site – you’re sure to love it!

How to make lasagna

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

SAUCE. In a large pan over medium heat, sautee garlic in vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes. Stir in basil, salt, a dash of pepper, and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown beef and pork until no longer pink.
• Add meat to the tomato sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

CHEESE MIXTURE. In a bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Mix well and set aside.

Assembling Lasagna Ingredients

LAYER. In a 9×13 baking dish, spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Layer with lasagna noodles and spread another cup of sauce on top of the noodles.

• Add 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and then half of the sour cream mixture. 
• Add another layer of noodles, followed by a cup of sauce, another cup of shredded mozzarella, and then the rest of the sour cream mixture.
• Then, add one more layer of noodles and the last of the sauce. 

BAKE. Add Parmesan cheese to the top and bake for 25-35 minutes depending on how crispy you like your edges. Let set up for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

Lasagna layers. Lasagnas typically have 2-3 complete layers. This recipe has 2 complete layers of lasagna noodles.

Each of the two layers is topped with meat sauce, shredded cheese, and cheese sauce. These deliciously full layers are then topped with a final layer of noodles and sauce. 

No boil noodles. No boil pasta noodles are the same as regular lasagna noodles, except they have been precooked and then dried. They also do not have the signature ribboned edges that regular noodles have.

Since no boil noodles have been precooked, simply layer them into the lasagna and the moisture from the sauces will soften the pasta as it bakes. 

• Boil regular noodles to use in the lasagna if desired. Boil the noodles to al dente, drain, and then lay each noodle out on a cooling rack to dry out a bit while whipping up the sauces. Layer the lasagna as directed and bake. 

Why is my lasagna soupy? It can sometimes be tricky to determine what makes someone else’s dish not turn out quite right. Some common factors may include:

• Not draining excess fat from the browned meat.
• Using non-fat sour cream and cottage cheese which tend to be more watery.
• Using regular noodles instead of the no boil kind.
• Higher altitude baking may require a longer baking time than listed in the recipe.

Variations

Meat. This recipe is one of our favorites because it uses ground beef and Italian sausage. If using fattier meat, drain excess oil before adding the browned meat to the red sauce. 

• Italian sausage options: sweet and spicy, mild, or hot sausage.  
• If you don’t like sausage, simply use all ground beef. 
• Use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef and pork
• Omit the meat for vegetarian lasagna.

Vegetables. Adding vegetables is easy and can add delicious flavors and textures to the dish. A few common additions: mushrooms, diced bell peppers, chopped spinach, eggplant, zucchini, and onions.

Cheese. Using ricotta or cottage cheese is a matter of personal preference. Ricotta cheese is thicker and richer whereas cottage cheese is a bit lighter in taste and texture. This recipe calls for cottage cheese, but ricotta may be substituted.

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. Prepare this Best Lasagna Recipe ahead of time and store it before baking.

• To store in the fridge, cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
• To store it in the freezer, wrap the dish with plastic and again with aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. 

STORE. Depending on how much you have, either divide the leftovers into individual servings or store larger portions together. In either case, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

FREEZE leftover Easy Lasagna in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. 

Reheat. Allow the lasagna to thaw, if applicable, and reheat it in the microwave or oven. If you have a jar of marinara sauce, add some sauce to the lasagna before reheating it to help keep it from drying out.

If reheating in the oven, cover the lasagna with foil and bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly.

For more lasagna:

• Cheesy Spinach Lasagna Rolls
• Lasagna Soup
• Skillet Lasagna
• Crockpot Lasagna
• Chicken Lasagna
• Mexican Lasagna

Adapted from Favorite Family Recipes.